N278WW - 1939 Beech D17S Aircraft Registration

BE17

1939 BEECH D17S

Aircraft Description

N278WW is a 1939 Beech D17S, a single-engine reciprocating (piston) aircraft registered to Wedell Williams Memorial Foundations in Patterson, LA. This aircraft holds a standard airworthiness certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on June 21, 1956. The registration certificate was issued on January 3, 1980. The registration is set to expire on April 30, 2029. Powered by a P&w R-985 SERIES engine producing 450 horsepower, N278WW is. The aircraft's Mode S transponder code is A2C63D (hex), used for ADS-B identification and flight tracking. The FAA registry record for N278WW was last updated on July 28, 2023. AviatorDB monitors aircraft positions through ADS-B surveillance data and updates records as new position data is received.

The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing revolutionized executive aviation as the first luxury business aircraft to combine speed, comfort, and innovative design in a single package. First flown on November 4, 1932, it was a negative-stagger biplane powered by radial engines ranging from 225 to 450 horsepower, accommodating up to five passengers in hand-crafted luxury cabins. With its distinctive configuration placing the lower wing forward of the upper wing, the Staggerwing achieved cruise speeds around 200 mph and a range of 1,000 miles. Beech Aircraft Corporation produced 785 examples between 1932 and 1949. AviatorDB tracks 18,376 Beech aircraft currently registered in the FAA database. The ICAO type designator for this aircraft model is BE17.

AviatorDB has found no NTSB accident or incident reports involving N278WW. AviatorDB cross-references all FAA registration data with NTSB accident and incident reports, providing a comprehensive safety overview for every registered aircraft in the United States.

Model Year
1939
Manufacturer
BEECH
Model
D17S
Type Aircraft
Fixed Wing Single Engine
ICAO Type Code
BE1717 Staggerwing
Cruise Speed
158 mph
Weight Class
Up to 12,500 lbs
Airworthiness Date
June 21, 1956
Classification
Standard Category
Type Registration
Corporation
Status
Valid Registration
Cert Issue Date
January 3, 1980

Registered Owner

Name
WEDELL WILLIAMS MEMORIAL FOUNDATIONS
Address
PO BOX 38
City
PATTERSON
State / Zip Code
Louisiana70392-0038
Country
United States

Powerplant & Avionics

Engine Type
Reciprocating
Number of Engines
1
Engine Manufacturer
P&W
Engine Model
R-985 SERIES
Horsepower
450 HP
Mode S Code (Oct)
50543075
Mode S Code (Hex)
A2C63D

Additional Details

Registration
N278WW
Serial Number
264
Number of Engines
1
Number of Seats
5
Expiration Date
April 30, 2029
Last Action Date
July 28, 2023
Last Update Date
January 19, 2026
Unique ID
00260173

Data Source

Data provided by the US Federal Aviation Administration. View on FAA.gov

Last updated: 2026-05-15 01:32:20 UTC