Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Panama City Bch, Florida, September 11, 1994
On September 11, 1994 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N53925, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City Bch, Florida (Panama City Beach airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE BANNER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1994 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City Bch, Florida · Panama City Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N53925 · no longer on the register · serial 195-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT APPROACHED THE AIRPORT FROM THE SOUTH AND DROPPED A BANNER. HE THEN FLEW NORTHBOUND, REVERSED COURSE, AND SET UP AN APPROACH TO LAND TO THE SOUTH. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH HE REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BECAME ENTANGLED WITH ANOTHER BANNER THAT WAS SET UP FOR A PICKUP. THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
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: 1,650 hours in all; 598 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,598 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,838 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 26, 1993; 468 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 950 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from PFN, 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.
Other NTSB records under N53925 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.