Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Gorst, Washington, July 6, 1984
On July 6, 1984 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N57396, was destroyed in an accident near Gorst, Washington (Kitsap County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1984 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Gorst, Washington · Kitsap County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N57396 · no longer on the register · serial 489-73
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE ACFT DEPARTED RWY 19 & INITIATED A CLIMBING LEFT TURN. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO INCREASE ANGLE OF BANK TO THE LEFT AND CLIMB RATE. AT ABOUT 50 TO 75 FT, THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP UNCONTROLLED DESCENT & COLLIDE WITH THE GROUND. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT 5 OF 8 SPARK PLUGS WERE WORN & THE STALL WARNING LIGHT/HORN FUSE WAS MISSING.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 243 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 175 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,126 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1983; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWT at 8:50 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,208 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from PWT
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.