Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Pontotoc, Mississippi, January 22, 1994
On January 22, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N88255, was destroyed in an accident near Pontotoc, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WHILE MANUEVERING RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDING WITH TREES AND THEN THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pontotoc, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N88255 · registry record · serial 160-74
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses in the crash area observed the aircraft in a nose down descent and then recover to level flight at about 500 feet agl with near full engine power. The aircraft then flew off to the southeast. A witness located about 1 mile south of these witnesses heard the aircraft in what appeared to be a descent with near full engine power. He heard a noise similar to a rifle being fired followed immediately by all engine noise stopping. He later located the wreckage of the aircraft which had crashed into trees and then the ground. Post crash examination of the aircraft structure, flight controls, and engine revealed no evidence to indicate precrash failure or malfunction. The State Medical Examiner stated the pilot died as a result massive blunt force injuries due to crash. Toxicology testing indicated no evidence of alcohol or drug usage by the pilot prior to the crash.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,352 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 13,162 as pilot in command; 2,676 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,381 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1993; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUP Tupelo MS at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from TUP, 15 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.
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.