Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Rockaway, New Jersey, February 1, 1987
On February 1, 1987 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N7653S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockaway, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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
- February 1, 1987 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Rockaway, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N7653S · registry record · serial 212-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STUDENT PILOT EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A FROZEN RESERVIOR. DURING LANDING ROLL OUT, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A SLUSHY SPOT ON THE ICE AND NOSED OVER CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: student
- Flight time: 105 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 7, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lewiswn NY at 7:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 NYC87LA071.