Bellanca 17-30 accident near Scottsdale, AZ
On August 23, 2000, a Bellanca 17-30 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Scottsdale, AZ. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 23, 2000
- Place
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.643°N, 111.817°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X21758
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 22, 2000, at 2047 mountain standard time, a Bellanca 17-30 single engine airplane, N4905V, collided with mountainous terrain during a cruise descent 4.5 miles east-northeast of Scottsdale, Arizona. The airplane was destroyed and the airline transport pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot as a personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from the Cal Black Memorial airport near Hall's Crossing, Utah, about 1900, and was en route to Stellar Airpark, Chandler, Arizona. A monsoonal weather system was rapidly moving through the area at the time of the accident producing instrument meteorological conditions near the accident site. A flight plan was not filed for the flight. On September 1, 2000, a pilot spotted the wreckage on the southwestern slope of the McDowell mountain range and reported it to authorities. The airplane was located about the 3,000-foot level, about 200 feet below the ridgeline, which runs from the northwest to southeast. The location was identified as 33 degrees 38.560 minutes north latitude and 111 degrees 49.043 minutes west longitude, 4.5 miles east northeast of Scottsdale airport. The accident site lies on a direct route between the Cal Black Memorial Airport and Stellar Airpark. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that a review of Williams Gateway airport terminal radar showed a 1200 code secondary beacon return that was southbound on a direct heading toward Stellar Airpark. The radar data depicted the airplane descend
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance during a cruise descent, which resulted in controlled flight into mountainous terrain during dark night conditions. Contributing factors were the rain, thuderstorm, and dust storm weather conditions, which likely reduced visibility in the area at the time of the accident.
More accidents in AZ
- De Havilland DHC-6-300, Sep 27, 1989
- Cessna 402C, Jun 19, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Aug 17, 1983
- Piper PA-31-350, Feb 13, 1995
- Cessna 421C, Sep 2, 1995
Browse: Arizona · Bellanca aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
