Bellanca 17-31A accident near Woodbridge, Virginia, August 13, 1985
On August 13, 1985 at about 2:06 am local time, a Bellanca 17-31A, registered N8242R, was destroyed in an accident near Woodbridge, Virginia (Woodbridge airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 13, 1985 · about 2:06 am local time
- Place
- Woodbridge, Virginia · Woodbridge
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31A · all 17-31As on the register
- Registration
- N8242R · no longer on the register · serial 32.87
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, EN ROUTE TO MANASSAS, VA. WX WAS VFR AND AS THE ACFT APPROACHED GAITHERSBURG, MD, AT 2132 LCL THE PLT CONTACTED DULLES APCH FOR VECTORS THROUGH THE AREA TO MANASSAS. THE ACFT WAS ISSUED A HEADING TO MANASSAS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PLT REPORTED HAVING MANASSAS IN SIGHT. THE THE PLT THEN MADE A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 01 AT WOODBRIDGE APRT. ALTHOUGH A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE PLT MAKE RADIO CALLS THAT HE WAS ENTERING THE PATTERNAT MANASSAS, HE REPORTED NEVER SEEING AN ACFT IN THE MANASSAS TRAFFIC PATTERN. ACCORDING TO THE SURVIVING PASSENGER, THEPLT HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE RWY LIGHTS TO ACTIVATE AT THE ARPT (WOODBRIDGE) AND A GO-AROUND WAS ATTEMPTED. HE NEXT RECALLED SEEING TREES AND THE ACFT IMPACTING THE TREES. THE ACFT CONTACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE APRX 375 FT NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 01 AT WOODBRIDGE ARPT. WOODBRIDGE HAS LOW INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS WHICH ARE ON FROM DUSK TO 0400Z. MANASSAS HAD RADIO OPERATED MEDIUM INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 508 hours in all; 64 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,761 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1985; 5 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: 5B2 Saratoga Sprgs NY
- Destination: W10 Manassas VA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 1, 2,250 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from IAD, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.