Bellanca 17-31 ATC accident near Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts, April 7, 1991
On April 7, 1991 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31 ATC, registered N1269R, was destroyed in an accident near Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts (Great Barrington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE MECHANIC'S IMPROPER USE OF ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND ON THE INJECTOR NOZZLE THREADS WHICH RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1991 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts · Great Barrington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31 ATC · all 17-31 ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N1269R · registry record · serial 310200
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER WHICH RESULTED IN INADEQUATE POWER TO CLEAR TREES LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND IN THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT PATH. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION A MECHANIC REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES USING AN ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND ON THE THREADS. THE ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND WORKED ITS WAY INTO THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLE THREW THE HOLES AND BLOCKED THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE CYLINDER.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 6, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIE5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°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.