Bellanca 17-30A accident near Homer, Louisiana, January 2, 1982
On January 2, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N14779, was destroyed in an accident near Homer, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 2, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Homer, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N14779 · no longer on the register · serial 1220433
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN IFR FLIGHT AT 5000 FT MSL, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE POWER, BUT EVENTUALLY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO WINDMILL WITH NO APPARENT THRUST. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT DESCENDED THROUGH A CLOUD LAYER AND BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS OVER A WOODED AREA AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL. HE ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO AN OPEN AREA, BUT COLLIDED WITH TREES, IMPACTED ON A HARD SURFACED ROAD, AND BOUNCED OVER A FENCE AND INTO A PASTURE. THE PILOT EGRESSED WITH INJURIES TO HIS FACE AND BURNS ON HIS LEFT ARM; HOWEVER, THE PLANE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURES.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 6,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Shrevesport LA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Tupelo MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.