Bellanca 17-30 accident near Kansas City, Kansas, February 3, 1984
On February 3, 1984 at about 8:17 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N7314V, was destroyed in an accident near Kansas City, Kansas (Fairfax airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 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
- February 3, 1984 · about 8:17 pm local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Kansas · Fairfax · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7314V · no longer on the register · serial 30169
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CAUGHT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND THE ACFT WAS CLEARED TO 'TAKE ANY RUNWAY OR ANY TAXIWAY.' THE PLT LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD ON THE AIRPORT. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MAIN SOURCE OF FIRE CENTERED AROUND A FUEL LINE EXTENDING FROM A FITTING ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE FIREWALL TO A FITTING ON THE BACK OF THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE/FUEL PRESSURE (FLOW) GAUGE. THE ALUMINUM LINE WAS MELTED AWAY BY THE FIRE BUT THE FITTINGS WERE INTACT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,298 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,634 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 8:15 pm
- Destination: LAW Lawton OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from MKC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.