Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Bend, Oregon, June 29, 2000
On June 29, 2000 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N31286, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bend, Oregon (Bend Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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
Improper preflight preflight planning/preparation by the pilot-in-command. Factors included a worn tailwheel tire and the VASI lighting system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2000 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bend, Oregon · Bend Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N31286 · no longer on the register · serial 50-70
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and certified flight instructor were landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, paved runway. During the landing roll-out, the aircraft veered to the left of runway centerline. Both pilots attempted to correct the situation by applying full right rudder, however, the aircraft continued off the runway and collided with a VASI lighting system. Post accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the pneumatic tailwheel tire had ruptured in a worn area on the tires surface. The CFI stated that significant wear to the tailwheel tire was noted during the preflight inspection, however, he believed that the tire was still in an airworthy condition.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,290 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 6,143 as pilot in command; 2,900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,358 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2000; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S07 Bend OR at 3:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,005 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from RDM, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.