Bellanca 14-19 accident near Paso Robles, California, March 16, 1985
On March 16, 1985 at about 1:00 am local time, a Bellanca 14-19, registered N8870R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paso Robles, California (Paso Robles 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 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
- March 16, 1985 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Paso Robles, California · Paso Robles · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-19 · all 14-19s on the register
- Registration
- N8870R · no longer on the register · serial 4232
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT PULLED THE PROP THROUGH BY HAND AFTER ATTEMPTS TO START THE ACFT FAILED. THE UNOCCUPIED ACFT STARTED AND TRAVELED APRX 200 FT BEFORE CONTACTING THE LEFT WING OF ANOTHER ACFT. INSPECTION REVEALED THE 'P' LEAD ON THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS NOT GROUNDED. THE ACFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR APRX 3 MONTHS.
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: 713 hours in all; 713 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 621 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1984; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8870R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.