Bellanca 17-30 accident near Medford, Oregon, March 27, 1987
On March 27, 1987 at about 9:03 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30, registered N4878V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, Oregon (Medford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- March 27, 1987 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- Medford, Oregon · Medford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · all 17-30s on the register
- Registration
- N4878V · no longer on the register · serial 30119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A TOTAL AND SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AT ABOUT 3,500 FEET MSL DURING CLIMB FOR CRUISE. THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. SINCE AN UNDERSHOOT WAS ASSURED THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON A FIELD. DURING LANDING ROLLOUT AT ABOUT 20 MPH THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH. NO REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS COULD BE DETERMINED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 935 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 991 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MFR Medford OR at 8:58 pm
- Destination: LMT Klamath Falls OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.