Bellanca 17-30 accident near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, July 21, 1985
On July 21, 1985 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N7315V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 21, 1985 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Sheboygan, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7315V · registry record · serial 30164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER IN CRUISE FLT. THE PLT REPORTED HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT TANK, & AFTER APRX 3 MINUTES, A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. HE STATED THAT REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE FUTILE. HE NOTED THAT AFTER THE POWER LOSS, THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED OFF. WHEN HE TURNED ON THE AUX FUEL PUMP, THERE WAS NO FUEL PRESSURE INDICATION. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION. THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK CONTAINED 6 1/2 INCHES OF FUEL & THE LEFT MAIN TANK CONTAINED 1 1/4 INCHES OF FUEL (MAIN TANKS PLACARDED 19 GAL CAPACITY). BOTH THE LEFT & RIGHT AUX TANKS WERE EMPTY.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,530 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Washington Is WI at 6:35 pm
- Destination: SBM Sheboygan WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from OSH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.