Bellanca 17-30A accident near Baltimore, Maryland, September 3, 2023
On September 3, 2023 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N74TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Baltimore, Maryland (Martin State 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the aborted landing, which resulted in a collision with a taxiway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2023 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · Martin State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N74TR · registry record · serial 74-30713
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to land when the airplane bounced after touchdown and turned into the wind like a weathervane. The pilot aborted the landing, but as the airplane began to climb, it struck a taxiway light. The pilot thought he struck the left landing gear and contacted the control tower who confirmed that all three-landing gear appeared down and locked. The pilot was able to return to the airport and land without incident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 224 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 224 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 24, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 2,152 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HQU Thomson GA at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15/3, 6,997 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:43 pm from KMTN
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMTN 031643Z 11008KT 10SM FEW060 31/12 A3000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA23LA389.