Bellanca 17-30A accident near Madison, Mississippi, June 16, 2022
On June 16, 2022 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1973 Bellanca 17-30A, registered N39880, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Madison, Mississippi (Bruce Campbell Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a muffler weld due to inadequate maintenance, which resulted in a fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2022 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Mississippi · Bruce Campbell Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A, built 1973 · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N39880 · registry record · serial 73-30551
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot noticed smoke in the cockpit while on departure. He returned to land and when the smoke worsened during taxi, he stopped the airplane and shut down the engine. The pilot and passenger egressed the airplane and observed a fire in the engine compartment. They were not able to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed the right-side exhaust system was fractured between the muffler and tailpipe. The investigation determined that a crack in the weld joining the aft ball tube to the aft muffler flange had previously failed, and a weld repair had been performed. Metallurgical examination determined that the repair weld had failed, allowing hot exhaust gases to escape onto the surrounding engine compartment components. Maintenance records show the Airworthiness Directive (AD) calling for the repair weld to be inspected was complied with during the last annual inspection, just under a month and about 10 flight hours before the accident. The mechanic that completed the inspection was not aware of the AD requirement to spray the outside of the muffler with a penetrating oil to check for cracks, which most likely would have identified the muffler weld issue prior to the failure.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during landing
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 9,855 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 19, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,543 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2022; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MBO Madison MS at 2:00 pm
- Destination: MBO Madison MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 am from KJAN, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KJAN 161354Z 05004KT 10SM FEW120 30/23 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP198 T03000233
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on January 30, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos of Accident Airplane | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Interview with Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Logs - Excerpt | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 22-095 | PDF, 16 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Materials Laboratory Attachment 1 - Alexandria Aircraft Service Letter B110 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Materials Laboratory Attachment 2 - FAA Ad 2008-05-11 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.