Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Hico, Texas, July 23, 1995
On July 23, 1995 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N500BT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hico, Texas (Parks Ranch 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND THE DELAYED GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1995 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hico, Texas · Parks Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N500BT · no longer on the register · serial 74-31104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE PILOT APPLIED POWER 'RAPIDLY' TO GO AROUND AFTER A 'LONG' TOUCHDOWN ON THE 2,300 FOOT GRASS STRIP, THE ENGINE 'HESITATED'. AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, THE PILOT TURNED LEFT TO AVOID HITTING TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK A FENCE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED SIGNATURES INDICATING THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING AT A HIGH POWER SETTING DURING IMPACT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,837 hours in all; 207 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 9,411 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,154 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1995; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXO Conroe TX at 1:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.