Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1993
On August 11, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N777DD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania (Vansant airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN A NOSE OVER. A ROUGH UNEVEN RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Erwinna, Pennsylvania · Vansant · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N777DD · registry record · serial 213-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A BUMP DURING THE LANDING ON THE ROUGH GRASS RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN, THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT ALSO INDICATED HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED BY A DEER.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,480 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,420 as pilot in command; 337 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-320-E1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Country Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 9N1 at 10:50 pm
- Destination: 9N1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.