Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Moses Lake, Washington, July 16, 1985
On July 16, 1985 at about 4:39 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N36137, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moses Lake, Washington (Grant County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 16, 1985 · about 4:39 pm local time
- Place
- Moses Lake, Washington · Grant County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N36137 · registry record · serial 542-73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GROUND LOOP OCCURRED DURING LANDING ROLL ON RWY 36. THE WIND AT TOUCHDOWN WAS FROM 210 DEGS AT 5 KTS. THE TWR DID GIVE THE PLT THE CURRENT WIND WHEN THE CONTROLLER CLEARED HIM TO LAND. THE PLT WAS AWARE THAT HE WOULD BE LANDING WITH A LEFT QUARTERING TAIL WIND. HE STATED THAT HE FELT CONFIDENT THAT HE COULD HANDLE THE WIND. THE TWR HAD PREVIOUSLYHAD TRAFFIC LANDING ON RWY 18. THIS WAS THE PLT'S FIRST SOLO FLT IN A TAIL DRAGGER, FOLLOWING 5 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION.
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: 132 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,723 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 22, 1985; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,263 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from MWH
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.