Bellanca 17 30 accident near Burnet, Texas, October 15, 2016
On October 15, 2016 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1970 Bellanca 17 30, registered N8790V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Burnet, Texas (Burnet Muni Kate Craddock Fiel airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue the unstabilized approach and his failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2016 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Burnet, Texas · Burnet Muni Kate Craddock Fiel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17 30 A, built 1970 · all 17 30s on the register
- Registration
- N8790V · no longer on the register · serial 30329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a high-performance, complex airplane reported that, during his fourth engine-out practice landing, the airplane was "high and fast." He further reported that he wanted to keep the training realistic and chose not to go around. The pilot continued the approach but reported that he "felt behind the airplane." The airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted, skidded off the runway to the left, and impacted a runway light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 839 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 715 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 9, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 1,400 hours total
- Operator: Eclipse Acquisitions LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: RYW Lago Vista TX at 3:30 pm
- Destination: BMQ Burnet TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft; a few clouds at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KBMQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 7, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.