Bellanca 17-30A accident near Canandaigua, New York, November 9, 1999
On November 9, 1999 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N93688, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canandaigua, New York (Canadaigua Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight which resulted in a loss of power due to fuel contamination. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's non-compliance of an airworthiness directive, failure to perform an annual inspection, and improper modifications of the fuel drain system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1999 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Canandaigua, New York · Canadaigua Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N93688 · no longer on the register · serial 73-30571
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane was taking off, the engine quit, and the pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway. The airplane touched down, bounced back into the air, and then floated over a road located at the end of the runway. While in the air a second time, the engine began to develop partial power for a few seconds and quit again. The airplane came to rest in a plowed field. When the airplane was examined, all six wing drain petcocks were disabled. Contamination was observed in the wing tanks, gascolator, fuel lines, fuel distribution manifold, engine driven fuel pump, and fuel filter. Research of the airplane records revealed that AD 87-11-01 R1, which was issued to preclude engine power loss due to either the accumulation of water or other contaminates in the fuel system, was not complied with. Further inspection revealed that the cable and release assembly that drains the gascolator was disassembled, rendering the quick drain inoperative. According to the airplane's logbooks, the most recent annual inspection was completed 23 months prior to the accident.
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
- Flight time: 2,025 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D38 at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 22 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.