- Date
- August 13, 1991, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Boyne City, MI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N6704VBellanca 17-30A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910813033849A
- Case key
- 14917
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot in command's failure to maintain proper altitude. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot in command's diverted attention..
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
The pilot was conducting local flight for the purpose of familiarization in the aircraft and to disperse ashes over a lake. Witnesses observed the aircraft in low level flight for a short time prior to seeing it descend and impact the surface of the lake. Subsequent investigation revealed that the pilot was strapped in the right seat with the cabin door open. The single axis auto pilot was engaged in the heading mode. The landing gear was extended, although the landing gear selector was in the 'up' position. The airplane was equipped with an automatic gear extension feature. Residue was located in the cockpit which was identified as cremated remains.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6704V
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-30A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30306
- Engine
- Continental IO-520K, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Trapline Inc.
- Registered owner
- Trapline Inc.
- Departed
- D83 · Boyne City, MI
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,400 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- PLN, 23 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.