Bellanca 17-31ATC N33317

Summary

On 3 October 1992 at about 18:00 local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC registered N33317, operated by Thunderbird Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Elko, Nevada, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 October 1992 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Elko, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

40.9497, -115.7896

Aircraft

Bellanca 17-31ATC

Registration

N33317

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thunderbird Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Twin Falls → Truckee

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93FA004

3 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEIFING AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO FORECAST ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PREVAILING ICING, CLOUDS, AND RAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED VERTICALLY OUT OF AN OVERCAST CEILING AND COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. A WITNESS REPORTED THE VISIBILITY TO BE 1/2 TO 1 MILE IN LIGHT RAIN AND THE TEMPERATURE ON THE GROUND 40 TO 50 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WITNESS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE TOPS OF THE HIGHEST HILLS IN THE AREA WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS AND OVERCAST SKIES 'WITH FEW IF ANY BREAKS [IN THE OVERCAST].' THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM ANY FACILITIES OF THE FAA OR DUATS. SEVERAL AIRMETS WERE ISSUED FOR ICING, TURBULENCE AND CLOUD LAYERS WHICH WERE FORECASTED ALONG THE AIRPLANE'S DIRECT ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS NOT CERTIFIED OR EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.