Bellanca 17-30A accident near College Park, Maryland, June 22, 1985
On June 22, 1985, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N93533, was destroyed in an accident near College Park, Maryland (College Park airport). 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
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
- June 22, 1985
- Place
- College Park, Maryland · College Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N93533 · no longer on the register · serial 73-30575
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BFR FLT, THE PLT OBTAINED FUEL SAMPLES THRU THE REMOTELY OPERATED GASCOLATOR, BUT DETECTED NO WATER. NO SAMPLES COULD BEDRAWN DIRECTLY FM THE WING OR FUSELAGE TANKS SINCE THEY HAD NO QUICK DRAINS INSTALLED. A PWR LOSS OCCURRED DRG TAKEOFF AT 50 TO 100 FT AGL. THE PLT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS (FROM L TO R MAIN) & ENGAGED THE BOOST PUMP. ENG PWR RETURNED AS THE ACFT STRUCK UTILITY LINES NEAR THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED & HIT A FENCE BFR COMING TO REST. A SIMILAR PWRLOSS OCCURRED APRX 3 WKS EARLIER. MAINT PSNL FOUND A LOOSE L TANK FUEL CAP WHICH COULD HAVE ALLOWED WATER TO LEAK INTO THIS TANK. A MECHANIC ADJUSTED THE FUEL CAP FOR A TIGHT FIT. THE ACFT WAS THEN FLOWN TWICE, PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF WATER IN THE FUEL OR OTHER DISCREPANCIES. HOWEVER, AFTER THE ACDNT, DIRECT ACCESS TO THE L MAIN TANK REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF WATER WHICH WAS COLORED PINK. PINK STAINS WERE ALSO PRESENT ON THE TANK WALL ABOVE THE AFT FUEL OUTLET PORT. THE OUTLET PORTS OF THE INTERCONNECTED MAIN TANK CELLS WERE 3/8 TO 1/2 INCH ABOVE THE TANK BOTTOMS.
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: 3,187 hours in all; 468 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 2,235 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,652 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1984; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,740 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.