No fatalities

BELLANCA 7ECA accident at Hopkinsville, KY, 28 Aug 2023

Hopkinsville, KY, United States

On August 28, 2023, a BELLANCA 7ECA operated by PRESLEY AVIATION LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Hopkinsville, KY. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with helicopter wake turbulence during initial climb, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with helicopter wake turbulence during initial climb, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

Contributed to outcomePilot