Bellanca 17-31A accident near Greensburg, Kansas, July 9, 1983
On July 9, 1983 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31A, registered N6575V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greensburg, Kansas. It was a business 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1983 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Greensburg, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31A · all 17-31As on the register
- Registration
- N6575V · registry record · serial 32-22
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AUXILIARY TANK RAN DRY AND THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SWITCHED THE TANK SELECTOR TO THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK WHICH HAD AMPLE FUEL BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT WING AND AILERON WAS DAMAGED IN A COLLISION WITH A RAILROAD CROSSING SIGN.
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: 312 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 265 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 34K Kiowa KS at 2:00 pm
- Destination: K74 Oakley KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC83LA150.