Bellanca 73CA accident near Porterville, California, October 13, 1984
On October 13, 1984 at about 6:58 pm local time, a Bellanca 73CA, registered N53860, was destroyed in an accident near Porterville, California (Porterville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- October 13, 1984 · about 6:58 pm local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · Porterville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 73CA
- Registration
- N53860 · no longer on the register · serial 1131076
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED AFTER AN INFLT LOSS OF CONTROL DURING BOTH THE LANDING FLARE & SUBSEQUENT GO AROUND ATTEMPT. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS APPROACHING TOUCHDOWN IN A THREE POINT ATTITUDE WHEN 'A GUST OF WIND SUDDENLY PUSHED (THE ACFT) TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY.' THE PLT FURTHER STATED THAT 'IT CRABBED ON ME AND THEN STARTED OUT ACROSS THE FIELD.' ADDING POWER TO INITIATE A GO AROUND, THE PLT SAID THAT 'EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE GOING FINE UNTIL ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RIGHT WING DROPPED RADICALLY.' THE PLT WAS NOT ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT & COLLIDED WITH A CHAIN LINK FENCE & AN ACFT FACTORY BUILDING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY.
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: 139 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 109 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37,339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1984; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 308 Coalinga CA at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from BFL, 36 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.