Bellanca 17-30 accident near San Andreas, California, July 20, 1985
On July 20, 1985 at about 7:33 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N7305V, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Andreas, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. 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
- July 20, 1985 · about 7:33 pm local time
- Place
- San Andreas, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7305V · no longer on the register · serial 30172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A 2 HR FLT WITH ABOUT 6 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DURING THE FLT, HE REPOSITIONED THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE MADE A VERY SHALLOW TURN TO THE RIGHT, NEAR HIS DESTINATION, THE ENG SUDDENLY LOST POWER. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG BY SWITCHING THE FUEL SELECTOR TO VARIOUS POSITIONS, BUT POWER WAS NOT RESTORED. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO THE NEAREST ARPT, BUT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALT. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LANDED THE ACFT IN A FIELD WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE ENG. APRX 37 GAL OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FOUR FUEL TANKS. THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY, BUT FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE OTHER TANKS. ONE TANK WAS VIRTUALLY FULL; ONE WAS ABOUT 1/2 FULL; THE OTHER WAS ABOUT 10% FULL.
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: 230 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 26, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,025 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Viking, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Pacoima CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 022 Columbia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; not recorded at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.