Bellanca 7KCAB accident near New Smyrna Bch, Florida, May 2, 1986
On May 2, 1986 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N90985, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Smyrna Bch, Florida (New Smyrna Beach airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1986 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Bch, Florida · New Smyrna Beach
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N90985 · no longer on the register · serial 345-73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PICKUP OF AN AERIAL ADVERTISING BANNER THE ACFT STRUCK THE PICKUP BRIDLE WITH THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB. THE ACFT THEN STALLED AND CRASHED ALONG THE ARPT BOUNDARY IN A SWAMP.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 360 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-L4C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Snyder Aero Advertising
The flight
- Departed from: 34J New Smyrna Beac FL at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from DAB, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N90985 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.