- Date
- November 17, 1984, 18:00 local (Nov 18, 1984, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Allen, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8222RBellanca 17-31ATC
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841117062799A
- Case key
- 21510
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
The acft collided with the ground as the plt, who was not current for night/instrument flt, tried to maneuver beneath a low overcast on a dark night. Although seriously injured during the accident sequence, the plt was able to tell rescue workers that he 'was turning around and just flew into the ground.' The acft wreckage was not located for aprx 3 hrs due to poor vis. The accident time was possibly as early as 1800 CST from acft performance projections and the earliest caller reporting the accident contacted collin county sheriff's deputy at 2121 CST after a farmer found the wreckage. During the acft ground bounces/slide and breakup, an 80 lb dog, heavily sedated and unrestrained, was thrown foward froma rear seat and possibly collided with the rt front seat pax who was restrained by a lap belt. Fatal injuries to right front seat pax were consonant with instrument panel impact and a blow to the back and head. No shoulder harnesses were available.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8222R
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-31ATC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-028
- Airframe hours
- 1,189
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1E5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mr. Johnn E. Whatley Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 25, 1983 · 82 hours before
- Departed
- HO5 · Wilburton, OK
- Destination
- 52F · Roanoke, TX
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 918 total · 131 in this make and model · 910 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.