N8693V – Bellanca 8KCAB Decathlon

1975 Bellanca
8KCAB Decathlon
N8693V

Low Time, Clean, Conventional Gear

$85,000 USD

N8693V - main 1

The Bellanca Decathlon is globally renowned for its ruggedness and maneuverability.

While the Decathlon is arguably the most common initial aerobatic and tailwheel trainer around, it is also the aircraft of choice for the pilot who prefers conventional gear and wants a reliable, great looking, steady mannered aircraft for personal enjoyment. The wood spar employed in the Citabria line of tube-and-fabric aircraft is favored by most who have owned and flown them, and provides fantastic real-time feedback to the discerning aerobatic pilot.

Here is an opportunity to get into a low time, accident-free, gently used Bellanca Decathlon. N8693V has lived lately in the dry high desert of Arizona, and has no history of accidents or airframe damage. Considering the current overall pre-owned aircraft market, this aircraft provides a significant amount of enjoyment, utility, and flexibility of mission, for its relatively low price.

Please carefully review the specs, the detailed high resolution image gallery, and the walkaround video below. I have completed a deep review of all logbooks, which is a significant effort to document the specifications and history of the aircraft. The findings are presented here on this spec page.

If you reach out to me, I can digitally share all logbooks and important documents.

N8693V - main 2

General Specifications

Power - Lycoming AEIO-320-E1B: 150 HP Recommended Engine TBO: 1600 HRS
Service Ceiling: 16,000 FT Fuel Capacity (useable): 40 GAL
Wingspan: 32 FT 0 IN Height: 7 FT 9 IN
Takeoff Distance (ideal): 630 FT Landing Distance (ideal): 622 FT
Cruise Speed (75% @ 7500'): 137 MPH Range:
538 NM
Rate of Climb (optimal): 1025 FPM Stall Speed: 53 MPH
Maneuvering Load Factors: +5G / -3G Inverted Systems: Fuel & Oil

These specifications were gathered from a variety of sources, including the original POH, and are not guaranteed.

N8693V - short wide front
N8693V - short wide back

Numbers at a Glance

Production Test Flight: 30 May 1975
Factory Serial Number: 185-75
Flight Rules: VFR
Airframe Total Time (TTAF): 2500 hrs
Engine Since Overhaul (SMOH): 225 hrs
Year Engine Was Overhauled: 2021
Engine TBO 1600 hrs
Prop Since Overhaul (2007): 610 hrs
Gross Weight: 1800 lbs
Empty Weight: 1360 lbs
Useful Load: 440 lbs
Next Annual Insp Due: April 2026
Transponder Cert Due: Aug 2027

Hours are a close approximation and will change as aircraft is flown regularly.

Summary

  • Aircraft is hangared at Cochise County Airport (P33), Willcox, Arizona, located 54 nm ENE of Tucson Int'l (KTUS), Tucson, Arizona
  • Engine compressions last annual: 76/76/71/79
  • Newly fabricated aluminum panel (2001)
  • New interior carpet and seat pads (2013)
  • No damage history
  • Aug 2001 - complete disassembly, all frame powder coated, all new covering w/ Superflight D-102, new windows, new windshield
  • Nov 2010 - new front and rear wood wing spars, wings recovered w/ Poly-Fiber and repainted - STC from Rainbow Flying Service
  • Some paint application issues on top of wing, see "Exterior" Evaluation below
  • Blackstone Oil Analysis History is available digitally
  • All ADs C/W - AD Compliance Report is available digitally
  • Logbooks are complete from day one and available digitally upon request

Avionics and Equipment

  • Garmin GNC250XL VFR GPS Nav/Com w/ moving map display
  • L3 Lynx NGT9000D+ Touchscreen Transponder w/ integrated ADS-B Out and In (2019)
  • PS Engineering PM2000 Intercom System
  • Hooker Competition Harness System - front
  • Hooker Sport Harness System - rear
  • View windows on lower trailing end of engine cowling, installed as a minor alteration (1982)
  • Rear Seat Heat
  • Odyssey Extreme Battery (PC680) - lightweight
  • Bogert Battery Cables
  • ACA Rear Cargo Net
  • Aileron Spades
 
N8693V - Exterior 47

Broker's Thoughts
On This Aircraft

As the broker, I make a significant effort to represent an aircraft in as much detail as possible. I share with you not only the benefits and features I've discovered, but also the issues or concerns that I found during my extensive intake and deep logbook review process. I present dozens of detailed, high resolution images, and an extensive walkaround video. Please review this material in detail. All logbooks and other important documents are professionally scanned, well organized, and available for your review.

My goal is that any Buyer making the effort to look at an aircraft in person can first see the aircraft "virtually" on this web page.

Exterior - Overall, the exterior of this Bellanca Decathlon is in reasonably good condition. Wing leading edges, struts, and tail leading edges do not exhibit any rock chips. Wing tips and trailing edges do not show evidence of any hangar rash. The paint shows good depth and brightness, and looks like it has plenty of life left. There is one minor ding on the leading edge of the upper nose bowl, and a few isolated areas of paint roughness and drips. The Image Gallery (below) shows up-close, detailed images of these issues.

The fabric looks to be in good condition, though the major distractions include some cracked paint on top of the right elevator, and what appears to be a paint application issue on the top of the wings. It looks like the underlying white paint was not properly prepared prior to spraying the blue paint, and now the blue paint is peeling. The Seller reports that the aircraft is always hangared, so it stands to reason this is an application issue, not a sun exposure issue.

The Plexiglas windows are in good condition (no doubt, due to the fact that the aircraft is always hangared). The tires exhibit sufficient tread and look to be in good shape.

The Image Gallery (below) contains close-up, detailed, high resolution images so that you can get a great view of the aircraft exterior.

N8693V - short wide panel

Instrument Panel - The panel in this Decathlon stands out from most others since it was redone. The aluminum panel itself was replaced, giving it a cleaner, more modern look. It retained most of its round-gauge styling, but took on a Garmin GPS Nav/Com radio.

The best upgrade to this panel is the L3 Lynx Transponder with ADS-B Out and In. It's amazing that these units haven't become more popular than they are. They have a color touchscreen which displays traffic and weather, and they also have the capability to pass that traffic and weather information to your EFB of choice (ForeFlight being the most popular).

Please refer to the "Avionics and Equipment" list above for complete details, and to the Image Gallery below for close-up images.

Interior - The interior is in good condition. The carpet, seats, and side panels show less-than-average use and don't have any rips or other detractors. The headliner looks to be in great shape, but has a minor scratch and dirt mark at the rear-most, port-side corner (it's something that you may not have noticed if I had not pointed it out to you).

Please look at the high resolution images in the Image Gallery for more details on the interior condition. The walkaround video, below, also shows the interior and headliner up close.

 

Overall - I cut my teeth on conventional gear years ago in my first tailwheel aircraft, a 7KCAB. I always found the Bellanca to have very mild manners and to be easy to land, even in demanding crosswinds. So, right out of the gate, I'll tell you that I am prejudiced for these aircraft because I had such a wonderful experience with one.

This low time, clean Decathlon is big bang for the buck and is ideal for the pilot wanting to build or exercise conventional gear skills, do basic aerobatics, and do a lot of fun flying. If you're a stickler for perfect paint, you may not appreciate some of the paint flaws on N8693V, but honestly, the aircraft looks really good sitting on the ramp outside the hangar. I'd own and fly this Decathlon in a heartbeat. It's nice.

Please reach out to me so that I may answer any questions you have.

Logbooks available digitally upon request.

Aircraft Walkaround
Here is a video of a complete walkaround of the aircraft.

Detailed Image Gallery
Click an image to zoom in on it.

Specifications and aircraft condition subject to verification and are not guaranteed.
Aircraft is subject to prior sale or removal.