Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Key West, Florida, October 8, 1991
On October 8, 1991 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N4155Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Key West, Florida (Key West Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AT AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS TOO LOW FOR RECOVERY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO JETTISON THE BANNER WHEN THE STALL WAS ENCOUNTERED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1991 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Key West, Florida · Key West Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N4155Y · no longer on the register · serial 957-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENGAGE & PICK UP THE BANNER. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN OBSERVED AT THE TOP OF ITS PICKUP MANEUVER, AND THE BANNER HAD JUST CLEARED THE GROUND, WHEN THE PLANE BANKED TO THE RIGHT, STALLED, & BEGAN A SPIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A POND NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING UNTIL IMPACT. THE BANNER BRIDLE & SAFETY LINK WERE FOUND STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRPLANE PICKUP HOOK.
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: 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: 600 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:29 pm from EYW, 1 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.