Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Antigo, Wisconsin, August 16, 1984
On August 16, 1984 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N4001B, was destroyed in an accident near Antigo, Wisconsin. 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 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
- August 16, 1984 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Antigo, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N4001B · registry record · serial 7431103
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FORCED TO LAND AFTER THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PLT HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND SAW PART OF THE COWLING COME OFF BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. HIS PASSENGER SAID THAT OIL COVERED THE WINDSHIELD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION SHOWED A FAILED CYLINDER. THE CYLINDER STUDS WERE DEVOID OF NUTS AND THE STUDS WERE NOT BROKEN.
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: 2,400 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,905 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1983; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TVC Traverse City MI at 11:00 pm
- Destination: AXN Alexandria MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from AUW, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4001B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.