Bellanca 17-30A accident near Hilton Head Is, South Carolina, August 21, 1993
On August 21, 1993, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N104CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hilton Head Is, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1993
- Place
- Hilton Head Is, South Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N104CB · no longer on the register · serial 30443
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED LOSING ENGINE POWER AT 1500 FEET AGL, APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES NORTH OF HILTON HEAD AIRPORT. UNABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN THE OCEAN, AND BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE SAFELY RECOVERED. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT REPORTED REFUELING THE AIRPLANE AT ITS LAST DEPARTURE POINT SHORTLY BEFORE THE FLIGHT. THE REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 305 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 266 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,337 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1993; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 29J Rock Hill SC at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.