Bellanca 17-30 accident near Tomahawk, Wisconsin, June 17, 1994
On June 17, 1994 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N8218R, was destroyed in an accident near Tomahawk, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED REASON. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN IN PREVENTING THE PILOT FROM MAKING A SAFE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1994 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tomahawk, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8218R · no longer on the register · serial 30433
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST POWER APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT AND FIVE MINUTES AFTER HE HAD SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. ALL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES BEFORE IMPACTING A SWAMP. THE AIRPLANE REMAINED UNDER WATER IN THE SWAMP FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS UNTIL THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE WRECKAGE REMOVED. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE AMOUNT OF REMAINING FUEL COULD NOT ACCURATELY BE DETERMINED AT THE TIME OF EXAMINATION DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME WHICH THE AIRPLANE REMAINED IN THE SWAMP.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,220 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,760 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.