Bellanca CITABRIA 7ECA accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa, September 30, 1985
On September 30, 1985 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Bellanca CITABRIA 7ECA, registered N1008E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa (Unknown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1985 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Council Bluffs, Iowa · Unknown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca CITABRIA 7ECA CITABRIA 7
- Registration
- N1008E · registry record · serial 1202-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON CLIMBOUT FM THE COUNCIL BLUFFS AIRPORT THE PLT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE ENGINE QUITTING. THE PLT ATTEMPTED AN AIR RESTART BUT WAS TOO LOW TO THE GRND TO CONTINUE. THE PLT WEAVED IN AND OUT OF TREES DURING HIS DESCENT FINALLY IMPACTING THE UP-SLOPE OF HILLY TERRAIN. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED WATER CONTAMINATED FUEL OF AN APPROXIMATE 50/50 RATIO. INSPECTION OF THE FUEL FACILITY SHOWED THE DISPENSING FUEL TRUCK PRIOR TO DISPENSING FUEL INTO THE ACFT. INSPECTION OF THE TRUCK REVEALED THE FUELING CAP ON THE TOP OF THE TANK WAS LEAKING ALLOWING INGESTION OF WATER INTO THE FUEL SUPPLY.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 69 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 708 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1985; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CBF Council Bluffs IA at 4:35 pm
- Destination: SWO Stillwater OK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from OMA, 4 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC85LA224.