# NTSB IAD76AI044: Bellanca 17-31, Butler, TN, December 25, 1975

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Date: December 25, 1975
- Place: Butler, TN · BUTLER, TN
- Location: 36.3571° N, 82.0356° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Butler, TN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: DirectorBrief, March 2, 1976
- NTSB case key (mKey): 152115
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD76AI044
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD76AI044

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4060  75/12/25   BUTLER,TN           BELLANCA 17-31      CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 66, 2596
        TIME - 1403                    N14707              PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 30 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          CLINTON,MD                  TRI-CITY,TN
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        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)                                     DRIZZLE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      42
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- MTN RIDGE IN AREA OF ACDNT APRX 5700FT MSL.WINGS,TAIL SECTION SEPD PRIOR TO IMPACT.
```

## Sequence of events

- Uncontrolled descent

## Aircraft

- Registration: N14707, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N14707-1976-04-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17-31
- Registry model: Bellanca 17-31ATC (registry code 1220437, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-31atc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Damage: Destroyed
- FAA reports: 19751225042469A (https://openairdocs.org/incident/19751225042469A) (OpenAirDocs)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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From OpenAirDocs.org, an independent open copy of NTSB and FAA data. The NTSB's own report is the official record of an investigation.