NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CEN26LA019
Registry · N53853
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
BELLANCA 7GCBC
Year of manufacture
1976 · 49 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19760127
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A6D148
Registrant of record
SCHULTZ THOMAS O
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s inadequate flight planning and his failure to maintain aircraft control during the precautionary off-airport landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot was conducting a personal flight when he realized that he would not be able to return to his private airstrip before sunset. The pilot decided to make a precautionary landing in a harvested soybean field. The pilot stated that the selected field was hillier than it appeared from altitude, and the airplane bounced upon touchdown, the propeller struck the ground, and during the sudden deceleration the airplane nosed over in the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Flight planning/navigation-Pilot
- — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Light condition-(general)-Decision related to condition
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Rough terrain-Effect on operation
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2025_CEN26LA019.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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