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19970802020529A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Blanca 17-30A · Eagle, MI · August 2, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 2, 1997 · 20:45 local
Place
Eagle, MI
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8237R
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI97LA241
Reported as
Blanca 1730A
Reported engine
Continental IO520K
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
448 total172 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days
N8237RRegistration cancelled May 14, 2013 · Bellanca 17-30AS/N 30473 · Built 1972Airframe modelBellanca 17-30AEngine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft experienced a powerloss and made emergency landing in a field. (.4)the pilot said that he had departed with a main fuel tank selected to feed the engine. Once the airplane got above '4,500 feet,' the pilot switched to an auxiliary fuel tank. 'Fuel usage was timed using a countdown clock for each tank. Approaching lansing, [Michigan] I requested and got flight following to detroit. A few minutes later, my fuel countdown clock signaled time for a fuel cell change.' The pilot switched to a full tank. At that time, the engine lost power. The pilot switched to another full tank, but the engine wound not start. 'I told lansing approach of my problem; they gave me the direction to the nearest airport, and I did the Bellanca viking restart procedure. The plane would not restart.' The pilot declared an emergency and force landed the airplane in a cornfield. Examination of the wreckage revealed that one of the airplane's five fuel tanks was empty. The remaining fuel tanks were full of fuel. No other anomalies were revealed with the airplane. (-23) engine failure. Pilot mismanaged fuel on his airplane. No injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A POWERLOSS AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. (.4)THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD DEPARTED WITH A MAIN FUEL TANK SELECTED TO FEED THE ENGINE. ONCE THE AIRPLANE GOT ABOVE '4,500 FEET,' THE PILOT SWITCHED TO AN AUXILIARY FUEL TANK. 'FUEL USAGE WAS TIMED USING A COUNTDOWN CLOCK FOR EACH TANK. APPROACHING LANSING, [MICHIGAN] I REQUESTED AND GOT FLIGHT FOLLOWING TO DETROIT. A FEW MINUTES LATER, MY FUEL COUNTDOWN CLOCK SIGNALED TIME FOR A FUEL CELL CHANGE.' THE PILOT SWITCHED TO A FULL TANK. AT THAT TIME, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SWITCHED TO ANOTHER FULL TANK, BUT THE ENGINE WOUND NOT START. 'I TOLD LANSING APPROACH OF MY PROBLEM; THEY GAVE ME THE DIRECTION TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, AND I DID THE BELLANCA VIKING RESTART PROCEDURE. THE PLANE WOULD NOT RESTART.' THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A CORNFIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE AIRPLANE'S FIVE FUEL TANKS WAS EMPTY. THE REMAINING FUEL TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL. NO OTHER ANOMALIES WERE REVEALED WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) ENGINE FAILURE. PILOT MISMANAGED FUEL ON HIS AIRPLANE. NO INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA241Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEagle, MIthe pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, his decision to switch fuel tanks too late, and fuel starvation.Aug 2, 1997 · Substantial damage