Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Wamego, Kansas, October 6, 1987
On October 6, 1987 at about 3:30 am local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N8786V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wamego, Kansas (Wamego airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- October 6, 1987 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Wamego, Kansas · Wamego · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N8786V · no longer on the register · serial 31013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT LDG THE PLT ALIGNED THE ACFT WITH THE WHITE TOPS OF A FENCE THAT WAS PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY. NOT ALL OF THE RWY LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. BOTH WINGS AND THE LOWER FUSELAGE WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE LNDG ON THE FENCE.
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: 1,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GBD Great Bend KS
- Destination: 69K Wamego KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,950 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from MHK, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.