Bellanca 17-30 accident near Melbourne, Florida, March 29, 1985
On March 29, 1985 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N7390V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne Regional 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 29, 1985 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7390V · no longer on the register · serial 30240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS DEPARTING ON RWY 27L, WHEN APRX 1200 FT DOWN THE RWY, ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, IT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY & CROSSED TWO TAXIWAYS. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ABOUT 350 FT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RWY 27L. A POST CRASH EXAM OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED THAT IT COLLAPSED DUE TO OVERLOAD CONDITIONS. NO PRE-ACCIDENT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 870 hours in all; 297 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 717 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,033 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 27L, 9,481 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:40 pm from MLB
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.
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.