Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Crested Butte, Colorado, November 14, 1983
On November 14, 1983 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N14780, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crested Butte, Colorado (Crested Butte Mun. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1983 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Crested Butte, Colorado · Crested Butte Mun. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N14780 · no longer on the register · serial 74-31096
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE GROUND WAS COVERED WITH ABOUT 6 INCHES OF LIGHT SNOW & THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 KTS. A SNOW PLOW PRECEEDED HIM TO THE RWY & HAD CLEARED A STRIP ABOUT 10 TO 12 FT WIDE ON THE 1ST 1/3 OF THE RWY. WHEN THE PLT WAS READY FOR TAKEOFF, HE DID NOT SEE THE SNOW PLOW. AFTER WAITING FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE PLT THOUGHT THAT THE SNOW PLOW OPERATOR WAS WAITING FOR HIM TO TAKEOFF, SO HE (THE PLT) ELECTED TO PROCEED WITH THE DEPARTURE. THE PLT STATED THAT AT APRX 50 MPH, DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE ACFT BEGAN DRIFTING LEFT. HE CORRECTED WITH LIGHT RIGHT RUDDER, BUT REPORTED THE ACFT OVERREACTED. LEFT RUDDER WAS THEN APPLIED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL ENCOUNTERED SNOW & THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY. THE PLT PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, BUT BEFORE STOPPING, THE ACFT HIT A ROCK EMBANKMENT, THE PROP WAS DAMAGED, THE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED.
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: 862 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 727 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,310 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aspen Aero Club
The flight
- Destination: GUC Gunnison CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from 2V9, 20 miles away
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.