Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Allen, Texas, November 18, 1984
On November 18, 1984, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N8222R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Allen, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- November 18, 1984
- Place
- Allen, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N8222R · no longer on the register · serial 31-028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AS THE PLT, WHO WAS NOT CURRENT FOR NIGHT/INSTRUMENT FLT, TRIED TO MANEUVER BENEATH A LOW OVERCAST ON A DARK NIGHT. ALTHOUGH SERIOUSLY INJURED DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO TELL RESCUE WORKERS THAT HE 'WAS TURNING AROUND AND JUST FLEW INTO THE GROUND.' THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS NOT LOCATED FOR APRX 3 HRS DUE TO POOR VIS. THE ACCIDENT TIME WAS POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS 1800 CST FROM ACFT PERFORMANCE PROJECTIONS AND THE EARLIEST CALLER REPORTING THE ACCIDENT CONTACTED COLLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY AT 2121 CST AFTER A FARMER FOUND THE WRECKAGE. DURING THE ACFT GROUND BOUNCES/SLIDE AND BREAKUP, AN 80 LB DOG, HEAVILY SEDATED AND UNRESTRAINED, WAS THROWN FOWARD FROMA REAR SEAT AND POSSIBLY COLLIDED WITH THE RT FRONT SEAT PAX WHO WAS RESTRAINED BY A LAP BELT. FATAL INJURIES TO RIGHT FRONT SEAT PAX WERE CONSONANT WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL IMPACT AND A BLOW TO THE BACK AND HEAD. NO SHOULDER HARNESSES WERE AVAILABLE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 918 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 910 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,189 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 25, 1983; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HO5 Wilburton OK at 10:45 pm
- Destination: 52F Roanoke TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.