Bellanca 17-30A N8230R
1 June 1992 · El Campo, Texas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 1 June 1992 at about 20:50 local time, a Bellanca 17-30A registered N8230R, operated by King, JAY, was involved in an accident near El Campo, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 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 20:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- El Campo, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 29.1899, -96.2704
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A
- Registration
- N8230R
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- King, JAY
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Laredo → Tomball
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW92FA145
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT HAD LANDED AT A CLOSED AIRPORT EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE TOLD WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT THAT THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS AT HIS DESTINATION, AND THAT WAS WHY HE DECIDED TO STOP. HE THEN REBOARDED THE AIRPLANE AND DEPARTED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL IN AN AREA ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF THE CLOSED AIRPORT. WITNESSES WHO WERE IN A VAN STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DROP BELOW A TREE LINE AND THEN REAPPEAR. AS THE AIRPLANE PASSED PARALLEL TO THE VAN, IT WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A STEEP RIGHT TURN AND THEN NOSE DOWN INTO THE GROUND. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PILOT'S CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN ISSUED UNDER AN ALIAS WHICH THE DEA AND CUSTOMS SERVICE SAID THE PILOT HAD USED OVER THE YEARS. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGY STUDY INDICATED 0.32 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER OF METHAQUALONE (QUAALUDE) IN HIS LIVER TISSUE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bellanca 17 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar 1992 | Bellanca 17-30A | Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States | TIM L. Alton | No injuries | - |
| 24 Apr 1992 | Bellanca 17-30 | Alto, Georgia, United States | Forbes, Joseph D. | No injuries | - |
| 26 May 1992 | Bellanca 17-30A | Graford, Texas, United States | Johnson, Kenneth D. | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Oct 1992 | Bellanca 17-30A | Grand Junction, Colorado, United States | Classic Wings, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Nov 1992 | Bellanca 17-31ATC | Dublin, Texas, United States | Teague, James Edward | Fatal | 2 |
| 9 Aug 1992 | Bellanca 17-30A | Sedona, Arizona, United States | Bjornstad, Lidy A. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan 1992 | Beechcraft B19 | Bonham, Texas, United States | ARI BEN Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jan 1992 | Alvin D Campbell KR-2 | San Marcos, Texas, United States | Alvin D. Campbell | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Jan 1992 | Cessna 205A | Spring, Texas, United States | Owens, Grady | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jan 1992 | Mooney M20J | Austin, Texas, United States | Kissock, Darryl C. | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Jan 1992 | Piper PA-28-140 | Denton, Texas, United States | Thomas A. Tweeddale | No injuries | - |
| 5 Sep 1992 | Robinson R22 | Alpine, Texas, United States | Helicopters International | Fatal | 1 |