- Location: Reedville, Virginia
- Accident Number: ERA26LA005
- Date & Time: October 4, 2025, 16:45 Local
- Registration: N289PS
- Aircraft: Bellanca 7GCBC
- Aircraft Damage: Substantial
- Defining Event: Medical event
- Injuries: 1 Minor
- Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201810/pdf
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201810
On October 4, 2025, about 1645 eastern daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N289PS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Reedville, Virginia. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was departing from a turf runway. The pilot recalled advancing the throttle for takeoff, but lost consciousness and could not recall anything that occurred after that point until a bystander helped him from the wreckage of the airplane. The airplane had impacted trees off the side of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. After the accident, the pilot and a mechanic examined the airplane and found no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
A postaccident review of the pilot’s FAA medical certification history and his postaccident medical care records confirmed that the pilot had likely been incapacitated by an episode of abnormal heartbeat due to heart disease. At the time of the accident, the pilot did not hold current FAA medical certification. Although he had completed some requirements for BasicMed, his known medical history, which included multiple cardiovascular conditions, disqualified him from legally operating under BasicMed.
- Probable Cause: The pilot’s sudden incapacitation by an episode of abnormal heartbeat due to heart disease during a takeoff attempt, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion.
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