Bellanca 17-30A accident near Frankfort, Michigan, March 14, 1986
On March 14, 1986 at about 11:05 am local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N123RM, was destroyed in an accident near Frankfort, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1986 · about 11:05 am local time
- Place
- Frankfort, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N123RM · registry record · serial 84-30990
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS TAKING OFF FROM HIS LOCAL ARPT AND LOCAL RESIDENTS DESCRIBED CONDITIONS OF 100 FT VIS IN HEAVY GROUND FOG. AFTER LIFT-OFF HE BEGAN A LEFT TURN TOWARD A 300 FT HIGH RIDGE TOPPED BY 100 FT TREES. THE ACFT STRUCK THE TREE TOPS, THE PLT LOST CONTROL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,606 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,466 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 384 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1985; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3D4 Frankfort MI at 11:04 am
- Destination: GRR Grand Rapids MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from TVC, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI86FA102.