Bellanca 17-31A accident near Davis Park, New York, May 12, 1990
On May 12, 1990 at about 4:00 am local time, a Bellanca 17-31A, registered N7SF, was destroyed in an accident near Davis Park, New York. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTING THE WATER AT A HIGH SPEED FOR UNKNOWN REASON(S).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1990 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Davis Park, New York
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31A · all 17-31As on the register
- Registration
- N7SF · registry record · serial 73-32-114
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE WEATHER WAS VFR THROUGHOUT THE AREA WHEN THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED ON WHAT WAS TO HAVE BEEN A LOCAL AREA TRAINING FLIGHT FOR THE U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY. THERE WAS NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE, AND IT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE ABOUT 6 HRS AFTER TAKEOFF. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN OUT OVER THE OCEAN AFTER TAKEOFF, AND AFTER SOME MANEUVERING REVERSED COURSE. AT NO TIME WAS THE AIRPLANE ABOVE 500 FT MSL. ON 5/13 PARTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE FOUND WASHED UP ON A BEACH. TWO PASSENGER BODIES WERE RECOVERED; THE PILOT AND THE REMAINING PASSENGER WERE NOT. INJURIES ARE PRESUMED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE WATER AT HIGH SPEED WHILE STRUCTURALLY INTACT. THE PILOT HAD REPORTEDLY SUFFERED A HEAD INJURY WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 48 HRS, AND HAD BEEN COMPLAINING OF PAIN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS HEAD.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 825 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from FRG, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.