- Date
- July 18, 1983, 08:55 local (13:55 UTC)
- Place
- Hibbing, MN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4831VBellanca 17-30
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830718037019A
- Case key
- 12002
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
Prior to departure, the plt obtained a wx briefing & was advised to check back before departing to see if anything had developed. Reportedly, he took off at 0815 CDT, and at 0831 CDT, he radioed the Hibbing fss for wx info. The fss specialist advised that the Hibbing wx was below VFR minimums & that VFR flt was not recommended. The plt stated that he was VFR on top, then stated he didn't think he had enough fuel to divert to ELT, MN. He requested a special VFR clearance to Hibbing which was provided. At 0849, he reported inbound over the Hibbing VOR (7 mi sw of the arpt). At aprx 0855, the acft crashed, southwest of the instrument apch course to rwy 31 on a heading of 020 deg. Initial impact was with trees & the angle of descent was more than 15 deg. Witnesses reported the eng sound increased just before impact. A strong odor of fuel was noted at the crash site. Despite impact damage, some fuel was found in the tanks. Reportedly, the plt had previously declared low fuel status for preferred handling. Fog obscurred the tree tops.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4831V
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30096
- Airframe hours
- 1,698
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles T. Wangensteen,Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 13, 1983 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- WI32 · Madeline Island, WI
- Airport
- HIB · Chisholm-Hibbing, runway 31, 6,494 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 844 total · 794 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIB, 3 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.