Bellanca 17-30A accident near Wautoma, Wisconsin, May 31, 1988
On May 31, 1988 at about 1:02 am local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N28156, was destroyed in an accident near Wautoma, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PERFORMANCE OF AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1988 · about 1:02 am local time
- Place
- Wautoma, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N28156 · no longer on the register · serial 80-30985
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PILOT PERFORMED A HIGH PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF FOLLOWED BY A WINGOVER MANEUVER. NO RECOVERY OR PULL-UP FROM THE MANEUVER WAS SEEN BY WITNESSES. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A DENSE STAND OF 20 TO 30 FOOT PINE TREES. THE AIRPORT MANAGER SAW AND SPOKE TO THE PILOT BEFORE THE FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER, THE PILOT WAS ATYPICALLY UNRESPONSIVE AND WITHDRAWN AS IF SOMETHING WAS BOTHERING HIM.
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: 1,595 hours in all; 1,395 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,508 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,038 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1988; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y50 at 1:00 am
- Destination: Y50
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.