Bellanca 17-30A accident near Burnsville, North Carolina, April 26, 1992
On April 26, 1992 at about 3:15 am local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N28110, was destroyed in an accident near Burnsville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE THE WEATHER INFORMATION AND HIS CONTINUED VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH HIGH TERRAIN. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1992 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Burnsville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N28110 · registry record · serial 30918
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES AT NIGHT INTO AN AREA OF RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN. DEPARTURE CONTROL INSTRUCTED THE FLIGHT TO CLIMB TO 8,500 FEET.THE WEATHER BRIEFING ADVISED THE PILOT OF POSSIBLE TURBULENCE AND ICING CONDITIONS ALONG THE PLANNED ROUTE. ACCORDING TO LOCAL RESIDENCES IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT, SNOW SHOWERS WERE PRESENT AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE LAST RADAR PLOT PLACED AN AIRCRAFT AT 6,500 FEET IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE TERRAIN ELEVATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,300 FEET. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.
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: 400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,823 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GSO Greensboro NC at 2:25 am
- Destination: CHA Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from AVL, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.