Bellanca 17-30A N6307Y
28 October 1991 · Cotulla, Texas, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 28 October 1991 at about 02:10 local time, a Bellanca 17-30A registered N6307Y, operated by Maze, ROY H., was involved in an accident near Cotulla, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Cotulla, Texas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Cotulla (COT)
- Coordinates
- 28.4290, -99.2307
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A
- Registration
- N6307Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Maze, ROY H.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Houston
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- FTW92FA015
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, AND A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS AND A MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOPILOT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A DARK NIGHT FROM RWY 13, WHICH HAD FEW VISUAL REFERENCES OFF THE DEP END. HE RPRTD THAT AFTER CLIMBING TO ABOUT 800 TO 1000 FT, THERE WAS A LOSS OF INSTRUMENT LIGHTING FOR THE HSI, ATTITUDE INDCR, ALTIMETER & VERTICAL SPEED INDCR. THE PSGR (HIS WIFE) HELD A FLASHLIGHT IN AN ATTEMPT TO ILLUMINATE THE EFFECTED INSTRUMENTS. HE ENGAGED THE HEADING HOLD (2 TIMES) & THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP DSCNDG LEFT TURN. REALIZING THE ACFT HAD ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT, HE PULLED THE YOKE AFT, BUT THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED, BUT THE PSGR NOTIFIED THE ARPT MANAGER OF THE ACDNT & A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. DRG THE INVESTIGATION, NO DISCREPANCY WITH THE AUTOPLT WAS VERIFIED, BUT A SHORT WAS FOUND AT A SPLICE IN THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTING SYSTEM.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bellanca 17 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 1991 | Bellanca 17-30A | Coalinga, California, United States | George R. Hunt | No injuries | - |
| 7 Apr 1991 | Bellanca 17-31 ATC | Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts, United States | Barrett Scoville | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Jan 1991 | Bellanca 17-30A | Olton, Texas, United States | John C. Bozeman | Fatal | 1 |
| 13 Aug 1991 | Bellanca 17-30A | Boyne City, Michigan, United States | Trapline Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 1 Jun 1991 | Bellanca 17-30 | Fort Ord, California, United States | Flame Aero Inc | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 1991 | Bellanca 17-30A | Arlington, Wyoming, United States | Thomas B. & Pamela Smith | Fatal | 3 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft BE-19 | Mesquite, Texas, United States | ARI BEN Aviator | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1991 | McDonnell Douglas MD-80 | Dfw Airport, Texas, United States | American Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1991 | Robinson R22 BETA | Wylie, Texas, United States | Heli TEX Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Cessna 150A | Jewett, Texas, United States | Jack R. Horan | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 1991 | Beechcraft K35 | Laredo, Texas, United States | DAN R. Blaker | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Cessna 172F | Cumby, Texas, United States | Charles D. Wood | No injuries | - |