Bellanca 17-30A accident near Overbrook, Oklahoma, January 17, 2016
On January 17, 2016 at about 11:35 pm local time, a 1994 Bellanca 17-30A, registered N194DW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Overbrook, Oklahoma (Lake Murray State Park airport). 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 pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and his subsequent decision to circle to the north end of the airport due to a light tailwind condition instead of making a downwind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2016 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Overbrook, Oklahoma · Lake Murray State Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A, built 1994 · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N194DW · no longer on the register · serial 94-301021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that he did not visually check the fuel level in the tanks before the personal cross-country flight but that he estimated that there was sufficient fuel on board for a 1-hour flight; the flight was expected to take 30 minutes. The pilot stated that, about 15 to 20 minutes into the flight, the engine started to surge, and it then experienced a total loss of power. The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. He then attempted to circle to the north end of a nearby airport so he could land to the south instead of landing to the north with a light tailwind. While on final approach, the airplane contacted trees and terrain about 300 ft north of the runway end. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel system was intact. No fuel was found in the left wing tank, and 1/2 gallon of fuel was found in the right wing tank.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 335 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 280 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 7, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 565 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 2016; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T31 Mckinney TX at 11:15 pm
- Destination: T31 Mckinney TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from 1F0, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.