Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Rocksprings, Texas, April 24, 1984
On April 24, 1984 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N39815, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rocksprings, Texas (Edwards County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- April 24, 1984 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rocksprings, Texas · Edwards County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N39815 · no longer on the register · serial 73-31045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE CABIN DOOR OPENED IN-FLIGHT. WHILE MAKING A LANDING AT ROCKSPRINGS IN ORDER TO SHUT THE DOOR, THE PLT FAILED TO USE THE CHECKLIST AND LANDED THE ACFT WITH THE GEAR UP. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTO GEAR EXTENDER, BUT BECAUSE OF GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, POWER WAS NOT REDUCED ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,060 hours in all; 1,203 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UVA Uvalde TX at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.