Bellanca 8KCAB incident near Miami, Florida, August 18, 1988
On August 18, 1988 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N7699S, suffered minor damage in an incident near Miami, Florida (Kendall Gliderport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 incident. 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
- August 18, 1988 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Kendall Gliderport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N7699S · registry record · serial 263-76
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLT DURING NORMAL CRUISE, THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE. HE TURNED OFF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM & SECURED THE ENG, THEN ATTEMPTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A GRASS STRIP. THE ACFT LANDED LONG, OVERRAN THE RWY, & NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE MUFFLER SHROUD HAD A CRACK WHICH ALLOWED THE AIR NORMALLY USED FOR CABIN HEAT TO CONTACT THE FIREWALL. AS A RESULT, THE INSULATION OF THE INSIDE OF THE CABIN OVERHEATED, PRODUCING SMOKE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 1987; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from TMB, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.