Bellanca 17-30A accident near Alexandria, Minnesota, January 27, 2002
On January 27, 2002 at about 6:47 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N4002B, was destroyed in an accident near Alexandria, Minnesota (Chandler Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's disregard of the weather evaluation and his attempt to fly into known adverse weather without an instrument rating. Factors in the accident were the low ceiling, the low visibility, and the icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2002 · about 6:47 pm local time
- Place
- Alexandria, Minnesota · Chandler Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N4002B · registry record · serial 75-30761
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated pilot attempted flight into known instrument meteorological conditions. A witness reported that approximately 5 minutes after the accident airplane's departure, "... someone keyed their mike and we heard heavy breathing and cussing over the radio." The witness stated that shortly after the transmission, the accident airplane emerged from the overcast cloud layer and banked steeply prior to impacting the terrain. Weather around the time of the accident was 100 feet agl overcast with 3/4 statute mile visibility with mist. There was an AIRMET in effect for instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions including occasional ceilings below 1,000 feet agl and/or visibilities below 3 statute miles with light snow, light freezing drizzle, and mist. There was an AIRMET in effect for icing conditions, including occasional moderate rime/mixed/clear-icing while in clouds and/or precipitation below 6,000 feet agl. Prior to the accident flight a person representing the accident airplane contacted an Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and requested a visual flight rules (VFR) weather briefing. The AFSS weather briefer told the pilot that IFR weather conditions were forecasted at the departure airport. At the time of the post-accident examination of the wreckage there was approximately 0.125-inch of ice on the leading edges of the vertical and horizontal stabilizers and top-mounted communication antenna. There were trace amounts of ice located on the leading edge of the right wingtip. No anomalies were found with the airframe, engine, or propeller that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 239 hours in all; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 145 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,175.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 2002; 0.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AXN Alexandria MN at 6:30 pm
- Destination: ADG Adrian MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 6:36 pm from AXN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.