# NTSB CHI73FEE54: Bellanca 17-30A, N39816, Polo, IL, May 1, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: May 1, 1973
- Place: Polo, IL · POLO, IL
- Location: 41.9848° N, 89.5804° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Polo, IL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9848&lon=-89.5804&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 21, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 190349
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI73FEE54
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI73FEE54

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1383   73/5/1    POLO,ILL            BELLANCA 17-30A     CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 34, 381
        TIME - 1030                    N39816              PX-  0  0  1  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 26 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - RADIO RANCH
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          CHICAGO,ILL                 POLO,ILL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           GROUND-WATER LOOP-SWERVE                                 LANDING: ROLL
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     LANDING: ROLL
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL
           WEATHER - UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           AIRPORTS/AIRWAYS/FACILITIES - AIRPORT CONDITIONS: SOFT RUNWAY
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  5000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  RELATIVE BEARING OF WIND
          NONE                                                     RIGHT CROSS WIND 068-112 DEGREES
        TEMPERATURE-F                                            WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
           67                                                      270
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           25                                                      VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- WIND GUSTING 35K.ON ADVICE OF PREVIOUS FLT INST DID NOT USE BRAKES.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N39816](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N39816-2017-04-07), registration cancelled 2017-04-07, S/N 73-30524, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17-30A
- Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Radio Ranch

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19730501010959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730501010959A), May 1, 1973: Blanca 1730A, Polo, IL, Substantial damage. Wind gusting 35K.on advice of previous flt inst did not use brakes.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.