Bellanca 17-30 accident near Waterford, Michigan, July 29, 1994
On July 29, 1994 at about 2:21 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N93572, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waterford, Michigan (Oakland-Pontiac Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1994 · about 2:21 pm local time
- Place
- Waterford, Michigan · Oakland-Pontiac Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N93572 · no longer on the register · serial 74-30692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON INITIAL VFR CLIMBOUT THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE DESCENT HE ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS BUT DOES NOT REMEMBER HIS EXACT PROCEDURES. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A LAKE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE SET TO AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS, AND ONLY A FEW TEASPOONS OF FUEL IN THE FUEL LINES BETWEEN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND THE FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES. ALL ACCESSORIES OPERATED NORMALLY AND THE ENGINE RAN ON A TEST STAND.
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: 956 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 745 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wooden Airplane Company
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 2:20 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27R, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:22 pm from PTK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.