Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Palmer, Washington, March 28, 1988
On March 28, 1988, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N86820, was destroyed in an accident near Palmer, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1988
- Place
- Palmer, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N86820 · registry record · serial 433-74
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ALONG HIS ROUTE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT EQUIPPED, EVEN THOUGH THE PILOT IS INSTRUMENT RATED. THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE TWO PRECAUTIONARY LANDINGS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT TO AWAIT IMPROVING WEATHER. ALTHOUGH WEATHER BRIEFERS HAD TOLD THE PILOT THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED ALONG HIS PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT, DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND LOW VISIBILITY, THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT. AT ABOUT 23 MILES FROM THE PILOTS PROPOSED DESTINATION, HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND LOW VISIBILITIES WITH LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ONTO A LOGGING ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A PILE OF LOGS DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,420 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 2, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: A15S Lester WA at 11:45 pm
- Destination: TIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 150 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA88LA068.