Bellanca 17-30 VIKING accident near Alexandria, Minnesota, July 1, 1996
On July 1, 1996 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30 VIKING, registered N838MM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alexandria, Minnesota (Chandler Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight instructor's failure to assure a proper fuel tank selector position. Factors associated with the accident were improper preflight preparation and complacency by the flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1996 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Alexandria, Minnesota · Chandler Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 VIKING 17-30 VIKI · all 17-30 VIKINGs on the register
- Registration
- N838MM · registry record · serial 30014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane's owner hired the flight instructor to give him instruction so he could qualify as pilot-in-command. After about 1 hour of flight an owner-devised fuel tank change alarm sounded. The instructor said he thought the owner had switched the fuel tanks. The instructor was flying the airplane as it entered a base leg for landing when the engine stopped. The instructor selected another fuel tank and the engine would not start. The airplane landed gear up near the runway. The on-scene investigation revealed empty main fuel tanks. The flight had started with an empty left and full right main tank. The fuel tank selector was on the left main tank. The auxiliary fuel tanks were full. The instructor said he gave the owner 6 to 10 minutes of ground instruction regarding flight maneuvers to be performed. He said he did not observe the owner's preflight inspection.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,594 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 1,516 as pilot in command; 506 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AEL
- Destination: AEL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,099 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from AUX, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.