Bellanca 17-31A accident near Millry, Alabama, June 15, 1998
On June 15, 1998 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31A, registered N39853, was substantially damaged in an accident near Millry, Alabama. 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 fracture of the #2 cylinder connecting rod which resulted in partial loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing. A factor in the accident was the rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1998 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Millry, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31A · all 17-31As on the register
- Registration
- N39853 · no longer on the register · serial 73-32-97
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, the airplane engine's #2 cylinder connecting rod suffered a fracture. This resulted in the #2 piston becoming jammed in the cylinder and bending of the #2 cylinder intake valve pushrod. These events resulted in partial loss of engine power and a forced reduction in power setting. The pilot performed an emergency landing whereon the landing roll, the airplane skidded and turned in efforts to avoid a collision with a tree/fence row. The turn resulted in a collapse of the right main landing gear and right wing collision with the terrain. The landing gear broke off the aircraft, punctured the right main fuel cell, broke the main right wing wood spar and bent the right fuselage stringers. The outboard 36' of main right wing was severed from the airframe.
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
- Flight time: 2,880 hours in all; 1,759 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,755 as pilot in command; 124 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,048 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1997; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: CRP Corpus Christi TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from MOB, 66 miles away
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.