Bellanca 17-30 accident near Irvine, California, May 27, 1984
On May 27, 1984 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N4772V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Irvine, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1984 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Irvine, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N4772V · no longer on the register · serial 30077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT 1200 FT MSL THE ENG POWER WENT TO IDLE, HE SWITCHED TANKS, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP, PLACED THE MIXTURE IN THE RICH POSITION BUT TO NO AVAIL. POST CRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL BOOST PUMP DID NOT OPERATE. THE PUMP WAS SUBSEQUENTLY BENCH TESTED & OPERATED OK.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 8,300 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 31, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LO8 Borrego Springs CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from SNA, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.