Bellanca 7GCAA accident near Saltaire, New York, August 14, 1990
On August 14, 1990 at about 6:34 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCAA, registered N4190Y, was destroyed in an accident near Saltaire, New York. It was a positioning 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 MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1990 · about 6:34 pm local time
- Place
- Saltaire, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N4190Y · no longer on the register · serial 337-77
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN LOW OVER THE WATER. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE WATER WITH THE RIGHT WING AND THE WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE SANK AND WAS NEVER RECOVERED. THE PILOT DID NOT ESCAPE THE WRECKAGE PRIOR TO ITS SINKING AND HIS BODY WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE RIGHT WING WAS RECOVERED AND A FRACTURE SURFACE ON THE WING WAS ANALYZED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY AN OVERSTRESS CONDITIONS.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: United Aerial Advertising INC
The flight
- Departed from: 4NY7 Moriches NY
- Destination: BLM Farmingdale NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:00 pm
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.