Bellanca 17-30A N8785V
17 April 1989 · Junction, Texas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 17 April 1989 at about 14:20 local time, a Bellanca 17-30A registered N8785V was involved in an accident near Junction, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Junction, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 30.4796, -99.7702
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A
- Registration
- N8785V
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Midland → San Antonio
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW89FA151
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE WERE FACTORS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD RECENTLY ACCEPTED A NEW EMPLOYMENT POSITION & WAS USING HIS ACFT TO COMMUTE TO WORK. BEFORE TAKING OFF ON THE ACDNT FLT, HE OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING & WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. DRG THE FLT, THE ACFT CRASHED IN AN AREA OF ADVERSE WX. A WITNESS, WHO HEARD THE ACFT CRASH, ESTIMATED THE CEILING WAS 200 FT OVERCAST & VISIBILITY WAS 1/2 MI WITH FOG & DRIZZLE. THE ACFT CRASHED NEAR A HIGHWAY THAT EVENTUALLY PASSED NEAR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A STEEP DESCENT. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE ENG WAS REVVED UP TO A HIGH RPM WHEN IMPACT OCCURRED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION, THOUGH THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bellanca 17 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Sep 1989 | Bellanca 17-30A | Palo Alto, California, United States | Klouda, Linda K. | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Oct 1989 | Bellanca 17-30 | Newberg, Oregon, United States | BEN F. Smithers | No injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1989 | Bellanca 17-30 | Gainesville, Missouri, United States | Miller, William A. | Serious injuries | - |
| 24 Apr 1989 | Bellanca 17-30A | Watertown, Wisconsin, United States | Richard Stiles | No injuries | - |
| 6 Mar 1989 | Bellanca 17-31ATC | Fullerton, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 1989 | Bellanca 17-30 | Near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | David Evans | Fatal | 3 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 1989 | Cessna 150 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 1989 | Mooney M20J | Jasper, Texas, United States | Stratton, William A. | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Apr 1989 | Beechcraft V35B | Lampasas, Texas, United States | Phil P. O'neal | Serious injuries | - |
| 20 May 1989 | Piper PA-24-250 | Decatur, Texas, United States | Frazier, David R. | No injuries | - |
| 24 May 1989 | Beechcraft A36TC | Amarillo, Texas, United States | L.l.pownell | No injuries | - |
| 30 May 1989 | Piper PA-32R | Stratford, Texas, United States | Sherman Implement Co. | No injuries | - |