Bellanca BL17-31ATC accident near Wauseon, Ohio, May 3, 1996
On May 3, 1996 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bellanca BL17-31ATC, registered N2CW, was destroyed in an accident near Wauseon, Ohio (Fulton County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft which resulted in an inadvertent stall while on short final approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1996 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wauseon, Ohio · Fulton County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca BL17-31ATC
- Registration
- N2CW · registry record · serial 73-31067
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot recalled that the airplane was on a normal approach to the runway, then he woke up in the hospital. He stated that he had no recollection of the accident. The passenger reported that she remembered seeing a red light on the instrument panel just before the accident. The airport manager, a CFI, reported that he witnessed the accident from another airplane in the traffic pattern. He stated that the aircraft appeared to be approaching the runway too fast, and it seemed to him that the pilot '...got behind the power curve.' He said the airplane banked several times from left to right and then the nose pitched up. The airplane appeared to stall, then nosed down, and impacted the ground on the left side of the runway. The airport manager landed and helped the two occupants out of the accident airplane. Moments later, an oxygen bottle exploded, and the airplane burst into flames. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,581 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1995; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIE5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 5G9 Lambertville MI at 10:50 pm
- Destination: USE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,882 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from TOL, 20 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.