Bellanca 17-30A accident near El Paso, Texas, June 2, 1985
On June 2, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N39854, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- June 2, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N39854 · no longer on the register · serial 30483
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PLT FIRST SMELLED, THEN OBSERVED SMOKE COMING INTO THE COCKPIT FROM UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG QUIT COMPLETELY. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN AREA OFF THE RWY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT & THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MUFFLER ON THE LEFT SIDE, WHICH HAD BEEN OVERHAULED & INSTALLED ON 7/25/83, HAD FAILED NEAR THE OUTLET, ALLOWING HOT EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER THE ENG COMPARTMENT & BURN A WIRE BUNDLE CONTAINING THE MAGNETO WIRING (P-LEADS). A LARGE SECTION WAS MISSING FROM THE REAR HALF OF THE MUFFLER.
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
- Flight time: 174 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,104 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 1984; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ALM Alamogordo NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26L, 9,008 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from ELP
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.