Bellanca 7ECA accident near San Jose, California, December 15, 2013
On December 15, 2013 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1975 Bellanca 7ECA, registered N53893, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C 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 flight instructor's failure to correct for the student pilot's loss of aircraft control in a timely manner during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the instructor's inability to see the taxiway sign from the rear seat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2013 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA NO SERIES, built 1975 · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N53893 · registry record · serial 1140-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot planned to conduct an instructional flight in the tandem-seat, tailwheel-equipped airplane. The student pilot had a total flight experience of 20 hours, all of which was in the accident airplane make and model. He had not soloed yet. The reported wind was calm with 10 miles visibility. The student pilot was seated in the front seat of the tandem-seat airplane, and began the takeoff roll, his first for that day. The takeoff roll was described by the CFI as "a little wiggly," but was in accordance with the CFI's experience and expectations for a student pilot in a tailwheel airplane. Just after liftoff, the airplane drifted off the right side of the 75-foot-wide runway. The CFI did not take over the controls, since he did not perceive any immediate hazards. He then felt the airplane "hit something." He took over the controls, landed the airplane on the remaining runway, and the airplane was taxied to a parking spot. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fabric on the aft bottom fuselage was torn, and some of the fuselage structural tubing members were bent or broken. Additional examination revealed that an airport taxiway sign was damaged, and that debris from the sign was scattered on the runway. Witness marks indicated that the airplane had struck the top of that sign. The CFI reported that he never saw the sign during the veeroff, due to his rear-seat location. There were no reports by either pilot of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. .
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 in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- 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
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Awareness of condition
- factor Environmental issues › Task environment › Physical workspace › Visibility › Effect on personnel
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,288 hours in all; 457 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 2,048 as pilot in command; 952 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 15, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,472 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Amelia Reid Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:30 pm from KRHV
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 N53893 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.