Bellanca 17-30 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, March 30, 1988
On March 30, 1988 at about 11:26 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N4927V, was destroyed in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. 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 30, 1988 · about 11:26 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N4927V · no longer on the register · serial 30153
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD FILLED THE MAIN TANKS AND NEARLY FILLED THE TWO AUX TANKS EARLIER AND HAD FLOWN FOR ABOUT 1 HR USING ONE OF THE AUX TANKS FOR CRUISE. HE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF USING THE MAINS & WHEN HE LEVELED AT 2600 FT, HE SWITCHED TO ONE OF THE AUX TANKS. MOMENTS LATER, THE ENG QUIT & THE PLT COULD NOT GET A RESTART. A FORCED LDG WAS MADE INTO THE TREE TOPS & THE ACFT CRASHED TO THE GROUND. EACH AUX TANK HOLDS ABOUT 17 GALS & THE ACFT BURNS 13 TO 15 GALS PER HR. THE PLT STATED THAT HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED TO A NEARLY DEPLETED AUX TANK & THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE REASON FOR THE ENG FAILURE. AN EXAM OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THE MAIN FILTER, SELECTOR & SPIDER WERE DRY. NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF ANY AIRFRAME OR ENG COMPONENTS 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
- Flight time: 1,108 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 999 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORM Ormond Beach FL
- Destination: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7L, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 pm from DAB, 2 miles away
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.