Bellanca 7GCBC accident near West Yellowstone, Montana, August 1, 2013
On August 1, 2013 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N926BW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near West Yellowstone, Montana (West Yellowstone airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and a collision with an approach slope indicator system component.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2013 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- West Yellowstone, Montana · West Yellowstone · 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
- N926BW · registry record · serial 770-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger planned to conduct a personal flight in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot was in the rear seat, and the passenger was in the front seat. The passenger did not have a tailwheel endorsement, but he planned to follow the pilot on the controls during the takeoff for familiarization purposes. During the takeoff roll when the airplane was approaching liftoff speed, the airplane made a rapid veeroff to the left. At that point, the pilot abandoned the takeoff, and made the conscious decision not to attempt to return to the runway, instead allowing the airplane to roll and decelerate on the grass/gravel beside the runway. That decision was based on the pilot's desire to avoid any potentially hazardous maneuvering or a ground loop. During the rollout, due to the pilot's inability to see directly ahead, the airplane struck the VASI (visual approach slope indicator) installation located about 1,300 feet down the runway, and offset about 145 feet from the runway centerline. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing struts. The pilot stated that he did not believe that any mechanical malfunction or failure contributed to or caused the runway excursion, and that he could not rule out the possibility that he had inadvertently applied one wheel brake during the takeoff roll.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,960 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 7, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,092 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2013; 3,092 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KWYS West Yellowstone MT at 1:20 pm
- Destination: KWYS West Yellowstone MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 8,400 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:10 pm from KWYS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.