Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Fall River, Massachusetts, July 21, 1985
On July 21, 1985 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N5504B, was destroyed in an accident near Fall River, Massachusetts (Fall River Muni. airport). It was an other work-use 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1985 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fall River, Massachusetts · Fall River Muni.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5504B · no longer on the register · serial 421-78
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT EXECUTE AN AERIAL PICK UP OF THE AERIAL ADVERTISING BANNER & CLIMB VERY STEEPLY AWAY FROM THE GROUND. NORMAL ENG SOUNDS WERE REPORTED BY THE WITNESSES. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB TO AN ALT OF APPROX 150 FT, NEARLY COME TO A STOP, ROLL LT, THEN RT & CRASH TO THE GROUND. THE PLT WAS NOT LISTED ON THE HOLDER'S CERTIFICATE OF WAIVER ISSURED BY THE FAA FOR BANNER TOWING. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE BANNER WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE ACFT AS IT DOVE TO THE GROUND.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,798 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 38,706 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 533 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-320-E1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,950 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.