Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Harrisonburg, Virginia, June 15, 1997
On June 15, 1997 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N2537Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrisonburg, Virginia (Early Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point. A contributing factor was the transmission line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1997 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Harrisonburg, Virginia · Early Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N2537Z · no longer on the register · serial 1022-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A short final approach was made to runway 5, a 1,200 foot long grass runway. The airplane touched down long, and the pilot executed a go-around by reducing the flaps to 14 degrees and applying full power to the engine. As the airplane climbed, the pilot realized that he would not clear 25-foot high wires that crossed over the departure end of the runway, and executed a sharp stick-back maneuver to gain maximum altitude. The right main landing gear struck the wires, which remained caught with the airplane. The airplane slowed, and descended to the ground nose first, coming to rest inverted.
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: 216 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,635 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1996; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHD Staunton VA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 1,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.