Bellanca 17-30A accident near Longville, Minnesota, May 4, 2023
On May 4, 2023 at about 10:01 pm local time, a 1972 Bellanca 17-30A, registered N8210R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Longville, Minnesota (Longville Muni 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with an unexpected windshift, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2023 · about 10:01 pm local time
- Place
- Longville, Minnesota · Longville Muni · 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 1972 · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N8210R · registry record · serial 30421
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during his landing roll the airplane encountered an unexpected wind shift with quartering tailwind gusts as he decelerated to about 45 miles per hour. The pilot had not yet retracted his flaps and lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, traversed through the grass, and came to rest in a swale, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and engine mount. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 475 hours in all; 203 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 475 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 6, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K1A (piston); 3,538 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KDTL Detroit Lakes MN at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,549 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft; a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KXVG
Weather report (METAR): KXVG 042153Z AUTO 03006KT 10SM OVC095 21/M01 A2982 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 29, 2023. 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 | PDF, 3 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.