Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Dublin, Texas, November 9, 1992
On November 9, 1992 at about 8:00 am local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N39883, was destroyed in an accident near Dublin, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IFR OPERATION BY THE PILOT BY DESCENDING UNDER INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS BELOW THE MINIMUM ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A LANDING. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: PILOT FATIGUE AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1992 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Dublin, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N39883 · no longer on the register · serial 73-31056
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0144 THE PLT WAS ISSUED AN APPROACH CLEARANCE TO THE DUBLIN AIRPORT & CLEARED TO MAINTAIN 3,000 FT MSL OR ABOVE UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH. AT 0148 THE CLEARANCE WAS AMENDED TO A CRUISE CLEARANCE OF 3,000 FT OR ABOVE (THE AIRPORT DOES NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH). THE PILOT THEN REPORTED HE WAS STILL IN THE CLOUDS AT 2,100 FT MSL (605 FT AGL). WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS HEARD DESCENDING AT 'MAXIMUM POWER' WHEN IT STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE. THE PILOT OPERATED A 24-HOUR 7-DAYS-A-WEEK VETERINARIAN CLINIC IN SPRING, TEXAS, AND HAD WORKED A CONSECUTIVE 3 DAY SHIFT FROM 0800 TO 2400 BEFORE DEPARTING THE CLINIC FOR THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Houston TX at 6:38 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 am from SEP, 12 miles away
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.