Bellanca 17-31A accident near Maurice, Iowa, August 30, 2023
On August 30, 2023 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1974 Bellanca 17-31A, registered N14723, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Maurice, Iowa. 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2023 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Maurice, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31A, built 1974 · all 17-31As on the register
- Registration
- N14723 · no longer on the register · serial 74-32-144
- 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 he was moving the airplane from a nearby airport to his residence and was landing on a road. He said that during the landing he used too much brake, lost directional control, and the airplane went off the left side of the road. The right wing struck a pole and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot stated that the airplane did not have a current annual inspection and when asked specifically if there were any mechanical problems with the airplane, he said there were none.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,453 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SXK Maurice IA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KLRJ, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLRJ 302315Z AUTO 14010KT 10SM CLR 28/16 A2994 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 29, 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 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | 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.