Bellanca 17-30A N39858

Summary

On 17 December 2006 at about 00:03 local time, a Bellanca 17-30A registered N39858 was involved in an accident near Jay, Oklahoma, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 December 2006 at 00:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Jay, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

36.5028, -94.9039

Aircraft

Bellanca 17-30A

Registration

N39858

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pryor → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

DFW07FA039

3 people died.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's improper decision to extend the landing gear for the water landing. Contributing factors were the prevailing night conditions and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The un-licensed pilot and three passengers were on a local flight at night in a 300-hoursepower high performance airplane when the engine lost power. The pilot elected to extend the airplane's landing gear and perform an emergency landing to a lake. Upon water impact, the airplane nosed over and came to a rest partially submerged in an inverted position. The pilot exited the airplane unassisted and the three passengers remained onboard and subsequently drowned. At the accident site a local law enforcement officer detected a "strong" smell of alcohol on the pilot's breath and that his speech was slurred. When asked if he had been drinking the pilot replied that he had consumed two margaritas several hours earlier. Five bottles of liquor were found in the airplane, with four of the five bottles found to be open. The pilot was forced to submit to a blood draw about five hours and forty minutes after the accident and was arrested on anticipated charges of three counts of first degree manslaughter. Toxicological testing on blood samples from the pilot tested negative for blood alcohol. The pilot did not hold, nor had ever held a pilot or medical/student pilot certificate. Despite repeated attempts by the IIC, the pilot declined to submit a completed Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form (NTSB Form 6120.1). The pilot also declined to submit his pilot logbook for examination. It could not be determined how much flight time the pilot had accrued; however, the pilot reported to local law enforcement officers that he had not logged a flight in the previous five months. FAA records revealed the pilot purchased the airplane approximately nine months prior to the accident. The previous owner, a certificated flight instructor (CFI), reported that he had instructed the pilot in the airplane for approximately 10-hours. An examination of the airplane was performed. No pre impact anomalies were noted. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.