Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Winchester, Tennessee, May 6, 1986
On May 6, 1986 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N28138, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winchester, Tennessee (Winchester Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1986 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winchester, Tennessee · Winchester Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N28138 · registry record · serial 78-31142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT MADE A VFR PATTERN AT AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT AND NOTED A TRUCK ALONGSIDE THE NORTH END OF THE RWY. THE PLT DID NOTSEE ANY PERSONS ON THE RWY. DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE PLT NOTICED A MAN ON THE RWY NEAR THE RIGHT WINGTIP. A JOLT WAS FELT AS THE ACFT CONTACTED THE WORKMAN. WORKMEN HAD SHOWN UP AT THE ARPT TO SEAL THE RWY WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION.A LOCAL NOTAM WAS ISSUED BUT THE PLT HAD DEPARTED EARLIER IN THE DAY, FLEW TO ANOTHER FIELD AND RETURNED TO WINCHESTER. NONE OF THE WORKMEN WERE WEARING HIGH VISIBILITY CLOTHING NOR WAS A LOOKOUT POSTED TO WARN OF TRAFFIC ON THE ARPT. ARPT PERSONNEL DID NOT RESPOND TO THE PLT'S UNICOM CALL FOR AN ARPT ADVISORY. THE SEALING CONTRACT WAS MADE BY THE STATE WITH NO LOCAL INVOLVEMENT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,618 hours in all; 502 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 1,477 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,233 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1985; 231 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna TN at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.