Bellanca 17-30A accident near Columbus, Ohio, March 16, 1983
On March 16, 1983 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N93571, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State University 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1983 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Ohio State University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N93571 · no longer on the register · serial 73-30616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD PURCHASED THE ACFT ON 2/28/83. FROM THAT DATE UNTIL THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT ON 3/16/83, HE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE LANDING GEAR. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT THE GEAR AFTER TAKEOFF ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, THE INDICATORS SHOWED THAT THE GEAR HAD RETRACTED, BUT THERE WAS NO NORMAL SOUND OF GEAR RETRACTION. THE PLT FLEW PAST THE TOWER FOR A GEAR CHECK & TOWER PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN. DURING A SUBSEQUENT LANDING, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, THE ACFT WENT OF THE RWY & STRUCK A RWY LIGHT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE GEAR CONTROL RELAY & AIRSPEED SWITCH CONTACTS WERE CORRODED, PITTED AND/OR SCORED. WHEN THESE WERE REPLACED, THE GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE PLT DID NOT USE THE MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION SYS WHICH WOULD HAVE POSITIONED THE GEAR IN THE DOWN & LOCKED POSITION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,128 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 561 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 994 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,217 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 005° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from OSU
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.