Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Crimora, Virginia, September 13, 1997
On September 13, 1997 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N5272X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crimora, Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's mismangement of fuel which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Contributing was his inadequate preflight planning that resulted in an inadequate fuel supply..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1997 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crimora, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N5272X · no longer on the register · serial 197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he checked the fuel tanks before departure and determined they were three-quarters full. He then departed on a cross-country flight. After 45 minutes of flight, the engine lost power. He overshot his chosen landing area, and struck a power pole. The FAA examined the airplane and found 3 gallons of fuel remaining. The pilot had a total time of 13.8 hours with 4.5 hours as pilot-in-command. The fuel capacity of the airplane was 39 gallons with 1 gallon unusable.
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: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 05V Manassas VA at 2:45 pm
- Destination: W13 Waynesboro VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.