NTSB ATL83LA353 — 1983-09-04 · DAYTON, Kentucky, United States

Current FAA registration · N88223

Make / Model: BELLANCA 7GCAA
Year of manufacture: 1974 · 9 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19740822
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AC27FD

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N88223 Bellanca 7GCAA Minor

Factual narrative

THE ACFT WAS MODIFIED TO TOW BANNERS & WAS BEING USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. AFTER THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN ABOUT 3 HRS & 20 MIN, THE PLT TOOK OFF ON HIS 4TH BANNER TOW FLT. HE STATED THAT HE HAD USED THE FUEL GAGES TO ESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL REMAINING. THE ESTIMATED THAT 5 OR MORE GAL OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD PRIOR TO HIS LAST TAKEOFF. HE FLEW TO A STADIUM WHERE HE MADE 6 TO 8 TURNS. HE HAD JUST STARTED BACK TO THE ARPT WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF POWER, HE REPORTEDLY USED AN AIRSPEED OF 60 MPH. THE OWNER'S MANUAL RECOMMENDED A MINIMUM SPEED OF 65 MPH FOR ATTEMPTING A RESTART. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE RELEASED THE BANNER JUST PRIOR TO DITCHING IN A RIVER. THE ACFT WAS TOWED TO THE RIVER BANK BY A BOAT & WAS RECOVERED LATER. APRX 2 GAL OF FUEL WAS FOUND REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS. NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICL FAILURES WERE FOUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_ATL83LA353.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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