Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Helena, Montana, July 27, 2008
On July 27, 2008 at about 10:11 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N50476, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Helena, Montana (Helena Regional 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
The failure of the pilot receiving instruction to adequately compensate for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control. Also causal was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2008 · about 10:11 pm local time
- Place
- Helena, Montana · Helena Regional · 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
- N50476 · registry record · serial 1137-79
- 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 (CFI) were performing a series of three-point touch-and-go landings in a tail wheel-equipped airplane when the accident occurred. The CFI reported the airplane touched down on runway 09 in a "side drift" with the front seat private pilot at the controls. The airplane drifted left of the runway centerline as the CFI took the controls in an attempt regain directional control. During his attempt to regain control, the airplane swerved and the left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing subsequently contacted the runway resulting in structural damage. The CFI reported the wind at the time of the accident was from 050 degrees at 7 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 541 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,639 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 177 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,148 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2008
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHLN Helena MT
- Destination: KHLN Helena MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N50476 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA08CA169.