Bellanca 17-30A accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania, February 14, 1982
On February 14, 1982 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N14908, was substantially damaged in an accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania (Seamans airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- February 14, 1982 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Factoryville, Pennsylvania · Seamans · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N14908 · registry record · serial 74-30662
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT, THERE WAS A LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION. A MECHANIC CHECKED THE GEAR AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO FLY THE PLANE WITH THE GEAR DOWN TO ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR MAINTENANCE. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT, THE "GEAR DOWN" SPEED WAS NOT EXCEEDED. WHILE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR ABOUT 10 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLANE BOUNCED, AND ON THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE BRUSHES IN THE LANDING GEAR POWER PACK WERE COMPLETELY WORN. NO OTHER PRE-CRASH GEAR PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.
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: 1,046 hours in all; 502 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 928 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 994 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wilkes-Barre PA
- Destination: Stow MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.