Bellanca 17-30A accident near El Campo, Texas, June 1, 1992
On June 1, 1992 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N8230R, was destroyed in an accident near El Campo, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1992 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- El Campo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N8230R · registry record · serial 30416
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD LANDED AT A CLOSED AIRPORT EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE TOLD WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT THAT THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS AT HIS DESTINATION, AND THAT WAS WHY HE DECIDED TO STOP. HE THEN REBOARDED THE AIRPLANE AND DEPARTED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL IN AN AREA ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF THE CLOSED AIRPORT. WITNESSES WHO WERE IN A VAN STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DROP BELOW A TREE LINE AND THEN REAPPEAR. AS THE AIRPLANE PASSED PARALLEL TO THE VAN, IT WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A STEEP RIGHT TURN AND THEN NOSE DOWN INTO THE GROUND. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PILOT'S CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN ISSUED UNDER AN ALIAS WHICH THE DEA AND CUSTOMS SERVICE SAID THE PILOT HAD USED OVER THE YEARS. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGY STUDY INDICATED 0.32 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER OF METHAQUALONE (QUAALUDE) IN HIS LIVER TISSUE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Laredo TX at 8:40 pm
- Destination: DWH Tomball TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PSX, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.