Bellanca 17-30 incident near Davis, West Virginia, April 27, 1990
On April 27, 1990 at about 4:34 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N4802V, was involved in an incident near Davis, West Virginia. It was a business 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 IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS ON THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1990 · about 4:34 pm local time
- Place
- Davis, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N4802V · registry record · serial 30082
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER CLIMBING TO 6500 FEET THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD SOUND, STARTED TO SHAKE, AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING DURING WHICH THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE PROPELLER WAS DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CONNECTING ROD IN THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER HAD FAILED. THE ANTI-REVERSING TABS WERE FOUND BENT FLUSH WITH THE CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 333 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 232 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,852 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1989; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N68 Chambersburg PA at 3:02 pm
- Destination: EKN Elkins WV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from EKN
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.