Bellanca 17-30 accident near Hayes Center, Nebraska, December 26, 1996
On December 26, 1996 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N4836V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hayes Center, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate fuel management by the pilot, which resulted in fuel starvation. The factors relating to the accident were: a fuel leak at the engine driven fuel pump, and the engine driven fuel pump pressure was too low.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1996 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hayes Center, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N4836V · no longer on the register · serial 30098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew 35 minutes using the right auxiliary tank then switched to the left auxiliary tank. About 50 minutes later, the engine lost power. The pilot said he performed restart procedures, but was unsuccessful in restarting the engine. The auxiliary tanks held 17 gallons each. The Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) noted that after running the fuel line dry, the boost pump must be activated in order to purge the line of air. The engine driven fuel pump had a leak in the high pressure adjustment screw O-ring. The fuel pump was also below the required fuel pressure limit range. The POH stated that fuel consumption was 14 GHP at 75 percent power at 6,500 feet mean sea level.
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
- Flight time: 326 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,242 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1996; 1,229 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: LNK Lincoln NE at 5:37 pm
- Destination: AKO Akron County CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from MCK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.