Bellanca 17-30A accident near Brunswick, Georgia, November 9, 1996
On November 9, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N86DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brunswick, Georgia. 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
a complete loss of engine power as a result of piston failure, oil starvation, and the subsequent forced landing in unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Brunswick, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N86DR · no longer on the register · serial 74-30690
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot felt a 'momentary shudder' from the engine. He checked the gauges and said all the instruments were in the 'green.' When he rechecked the instruments a short time later he noticed that the oil pressure 'had gone to zero.' The pilot advised ATC that his engine had lost power and he was going to attempt to land at an airport. The pilot could not make the airport, and elected to land in a salt marsh north of the airport. The engine teardown reveled that the No. 5 piston had a hole in the piston skirt, resulting in the oil being pushed overboard, oil starvation, and the subsequent complete loss of engine power.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 464 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 431 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,775 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1996; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520K1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 6:25 pm
- Destination: ISM Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 17 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.