Bellanca 17-30A N4195B

Summary

On 10 December 1993 at about 23:05 local time, a Bellanca 17-30A registered N4195B was involved in an accident near Lagrange, Georgia, 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.

Date

10 December 1993 at 23:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Lagrange, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Lagrange / Callaway (LGC)

Coordinates

33.0298, -84.9808

Aircraft

Bellanca 17-30A

Registration

N4195B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brunswick → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL94FA028

1 person died.

WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECT A KNOWN LOW BATTERY CONDITION BEFORE DEPARTING, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND THE LOW SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

MOMENTS BEFORE THE FLIGHT DEPARTED, THE PILOT REQUESTED AN ENGINE JUMP START FROM THE LOCAL FIXED BASE OPERATOR. HE TOLD THE MAINTENANCE PERSON THAT HE LEFT THE LORAN ON AND THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETLEY DRAINED. THE MAINTENANCE PERSON URGED THE PILOT TO CHARGE THE BATTERY BEFORE STARTING THE TRIP, BUT THE PILOT SAID, HE HAD AN IMPORTANT MEETING AND MUST RETURN. ALL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL HANDLING WAS NORMAL. ACCORDING TO THE APPROACH CONTROLLER, THE FLIGHT'S PROFILE APPEARED NORMAL ON RADAR AND THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY DIFFICULTIES. AS THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THE APPROACH TO LAND, A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE IN SUCH AN ATTITUDE THAT HE COULD SEE THE WHITE PAINTED TOP OF THE AIRPLANE. THE WITNESS SAID, THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO IT'S IMPACT WITH TH GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE BATTERY, WERE DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES. EXAMINATION OF A NAVIGATIONAL LIGHT RECOVERED FROM THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY UNUSUAL DEFORMATION TO THE BULB FILAMENT. AN EXAMINATION OF FAA RECORDS FAILED TO DISCLOSE AN AIRMAN INSTRUMENT CERTIFICATION FOR THE PILOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.