Bellanca 17-31A accident near Wilmington, Ohio, July 16, 1990
On July 16, 1990 at about 9:28 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31A, registered N93666, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilmington, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A POWER LOSS CAUSED BY FUEL EXHAUSTION WHEN THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE EMPTY FUEL TANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1990 · about 9:28 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31A · all 17-31As on the register
- Registration
- N93666 · no longer on the register · serial 73-32-118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF FROM CLINTON FIELD, THE ENGINE STOPPED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. PILOT SAID THAT HE TOOK OFF ON THE EMPTY TANK THEN SWITCHED TO THE TANK THAT WAS HALF FULL. AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE DURING THE OFF AIRPORT LANDING.
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
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,085 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIE5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I66 Wilmington OH at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.