- Date
- May 26, 1986, 19:25 local (23:25 UTC)
- Place
- Riverdale, MD
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N14781Bellanca 17-30A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11207
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Aircraft's engine sputtered and quit while the aircraft was climbing through 400 feet after departure. In an attempt to turn back to the runway the pilot stalled the aircraft and it descended out of control crashing into trees and the ground. Post crash investigation revealed the presence of uncontaminated water in the number 6 cylinder fuel injector nozzle. Examination of drain plugs in the left wing fuel tanks and fuel selector valve revealed the plugs to be rusted and difficult to remove. The aircraft sat from August 1985 to February 1986, outside, with only half full fuel tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N14781
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-30A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-30759
- Airframe hours
- 980
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-K, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael B. Mcintyre
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 12, 1985 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- CGS · College Park, MD
- Destination
- ANP · Annapolis, MD
- Airport
- CGS · College Park, runway 15, 2,740 × 40 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 348 total · 19 in this make and model · 216 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BWI, 16 nm away