Bellanca 17-30A accident near Mc Kinney, Texas, July 15, 1987
On July 15, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N28157, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mc Kinney, Texas (Mckinney Muni. airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 15, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mc Kinney, Texas · Mckinney Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N28157 · no longer on the register · serial 80-30987
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON THE THIRD TOUCH AND GO LANDING, WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE APPROACH, THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED 3 TO 4 TIMES TO RESTART THE ENGINE BY SWITCHING FUEL TANKS AND ACTIVATING THE BOOST PUMP. THE ENGINE STARTED ONCE BUT FAILED AGAIN. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, STRIKING THE LEFT WING ON A FENCE POST AND COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. FUEL WAS FOUND IN BOTH TANKS, HOWEVER, THE AUX TANK AND THE ENG FUEL DISTRIBUTER WERE FOUND EMPTY. THE CFI STATED DURING AN INTERVIEW AFTER THE ACCD THAT HE WAS NOT SURE WHICH FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED WHEN THE ENG FAILED. THE ENG RAN SATISFACTORILY DURING A POST-ACCD RUN-UP, HOWEVER, WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED TO THE OFF OR AUX POSITIONS THE ENG WOULD STOP AFTER ABOUT 1 MINUTE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 586 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 203 in the last 90 days; 456 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,015 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 23, 1987; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Addison TX at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.