# Accident 19961201036859A: Blanca 1731ATC, Fitzgerald, GA, December 1, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 1, 1996, 08:20 local time
- Place: Fitzgerald, GA
- Airport: Fitzgerald Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.8393° N, 83.2698° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.8393&lon=-83.2698&mi=10
- Aircraft: N123SS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N123SS-1998-06-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bellanca 17-31ATC (registry code 1220437, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-31atc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BLANCA 1731ATC
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 11,700 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97FA021) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961201036859A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

TOOK OFF VFT INTO HEAVY RAIN SHOWER FROM A THUNDERSTORM. APPEARS STALLED RETURNING. OVER WEIGHT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL97FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97FA021), Dec 1, 1996: Bellanca 17-31ATC (N123SS), Fitzgerald, GA, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to the blockage of the intake manifold of the induction air system, by the broken alternate air door, and the loss of aircraft control for undetermined reasons.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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