LAX83FA050

NTSB accident investigation · Bellanca 17-30A · Williams, AZ · November 25, 1982

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
November 24, 1982, 19:00 local (Nov 25, 1982, 02:00 UTC)
Place
Williams, AZ
Injuries
4 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N14748Bellanca 17-30A
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report November 24, 1983
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19821124062629A
Case key
73051

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.

In flight encounter with weatherCruise - normal
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Weather condition - cloudsFactor
Terrain condition - high terrainFactor
Weather condition - icing conditionsFactor
Weather condition - high windFactor
Weather condition - rainFactor
Vfr flight into imc - continuedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterCruise
Terrain condition - risingFactor

Analysis

The original departure point was camarillo, CA. Before departing camarillo, the pilot obtained a weather briefing for a flight to flagstaff, AZ. At about that time, the flagstaff weather was, in part: zero ceiling, 1/16 mi visibility. The pilot was warned of occasional light rime icing above the freezing level in California and marginal VFR conditions beyond the California border. The pilot departed camarillo at about 1600 MST and made a refueling stop at kingman, AZ. Before departing kingman, he reported that he would be following the highway. Subsequently, the plane collided with high terrain at night at an elevation of 7000 ft, just north of U.S. Highway 140, while on a westerly heading. According to an NTSB report, the cloud level would have been at about 5000 to 6000 ft in that vicinity and the freezing level would have been at 7000 ft. mixed icing conditions were probable from 7000 to 16000 ft MSL.

Aircraft

Registration
N14748
Reported as
Bellanca 17-30A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
74-30676
Engine
Continental IO-520K, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
William Edward Hanson
Registered owner
William Edward Hanson
Departed
IGM · Kingman, AZ
Destination
FLG · Flagstaff, AZ

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
44
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Flight hours
546 total

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Wind
60° at 4 knots
Temperature
90 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
FLG, 20 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.