Bellanca 17 30A accident near Sweetwater, Texas, April 27, 2014
On April 27, 2014 at about 7:53 pm local time, a 1974 Bellanca 17 30A, registered N9759E, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Sweetwater, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate inflight fuel management, which led to a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion or starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2014 · about 7:53 pm local time
- Place
- Sweetwater, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17 30A A, built 1974 · all 17 30As on the register
- Registration
- N9759E · no longer on the register · serial 75-30762
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a cross-country flight, making one stop to drop off one of two passengers. During the stop, the pilot reported topping off all three fuel tanks; he then departed on the accident flight. He stated that the airplane could fly 4 hours 45 minutes with fuel in reserve. However, on the day of the accident, 30mph headwinds were present. After flying for 3 hours 12 minutes primarily using the right fuel tanks, the engine lost full power about 2 miles from the destination airport. The pilot switched the fuel selector valve to the left tank and attempted to restart the engine but did not use the fuel boost pump as called for in the airplane flight manual. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain short of the airport. The pilot was wearing a seat belt and shoulder harness and sustained minor injuries. The passenger had a shoulder harness available, but was seated in a reclined position with only the lap belt fastened during the accident sequence. She sustained fatal injuries during the impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed the engine was not producing power at impact. The fuel tanks were ruptured during impact and only a small amount of fuel was found in the tanks; however, no evidence of fuel spillage or fuel blighting to surrounding vegetation was present. Thus, the amount of fuel present at the time of the accident could not be determined. Based on the pilot's statements and on-scene evidence, the pilot did not adequately manage the airplane fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. Although the airplane's range was greater than that flown on the day of the accident, the headwinds would have significantly shortened the range, which, when combined with the lack of fuel on-scene, would support fuel exhaustion. However, the pilot did not use the fuel boost pump to assist with restarting the engine, as called for in the airplane flight manual, which would support fuel starvation. Thus, the loss of engine power was due to either fuel exhaustion or starvation, which could not be determined because the fuel tanks were breached.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
- Fuel starvation during approach
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,279 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,205 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2013
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHV Shreveport LA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: SWW Sweetwater TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 26 knots, gusting 41
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.57 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from KSWW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.