- Date
- July 14, 1982, 11:58 local (15:58 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Wales, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7373VBellanca 17-31
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820714028989A
- Case key
- 71337
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 aircraft was on a maintenance flight to check a recently installed engine oil temperature gauge. After determining that the gauge was operating satisfactorily, the pilot began a descent toward the airport. While descending through 3000 ft, the pilot observed white smoke in the cabin and smelled fumes from a possible electrical fire. He turned the electrical master switch off, lowered the gear manually and continued his descent to the airport. After landing, the aircraft was quickly taxied off the runway and the fuel selector was turned off. Shortly thereafter, fire developed on the left side in the area of the firewall and engine compartment. The fire spread rapidly and destroyed the aircraft. Reportedly, the aircraft had been having electrical problems in the past. The engine had been hard to start and a heavy load had been observed on the ammeter during landing gear cycles. Due to the extensive fire damage, the cause of the electrical fire could not be verified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7373V
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-31
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-9
- Airframe hours
- 1,475
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-G1B-5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Both
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Carl F. Hinshaw
- Registered owner
- Alex J. Bahnson
- Departed
- Lake Wales, FL
- Destination
- Lake Wales, FL
- Airport
- Lake Wales Muni, runway 6, asphalt
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 196 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.