Bellanca 17-30A accident near Fallon, Nevada, June 9, 2002
On June 9, 2002 at about 1:35 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N8249R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fallon, Nevada (Fallon Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to attain an adequate takeoff airspeed, which resulted in a stall/mush. The high gross weight and density altitude were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2002 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · Fallon Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N8249R · no longer on the register · serial 3045-3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane settled into the ground on a taxiway during the takeoff initial climb. After the pilot raised the flaps during takeoff, the airplane did not seem to climb. He lowered the nose to gain airspeed; however, due to his proximity to the ground, he had to raise the nose again to reestablish a climb. He repeated the cycle of raising and lowering the nose as he turned back to the airfield. The stall warning horn was sounding during this sequence. The airplane touched down hard on the taxiway, continued through a median, crossed over the runway, and came to rest in the sand. The airplane departed with full fuel and was at or near gross weight. The density altitude was 4,647 feet msl.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 610 hours in all; 441 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 568 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,381 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2001; 56.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLX Fallon NV at 1:30 pm
- Destination: HII Lake Havasu AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 5,703 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from NFL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.