# Accident 19990821013259A: Bbavia 7ECA, Livermore, CA, August 21, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 21, 1999, 16:20 local time
- Place: Livermore, CA
- Airport: Livermore Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.6808° N, 121.7491° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6808&lon=-121.7491&mi=10
- Aircraft: N88408, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N88408) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bellanca 7ECA (registry code 1220460, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7eca) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7ECA
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA279) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990821013259A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT TOOK OFF FOR LOCAL PATTERN WORK, LOST POWER, AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING OFF THE APPROACH END OF RWY 25L. (-23)PILOT REPORTED NORMAL TAKEOFF AND BEGAN A CLIMB AT 75 MPH.  AT AN ESTIMATED 400 TO 500 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED FROM 2600 TO 1500 AND EXPERIENCED SEVERE ROUGHNESS ANS VIBRATION.  PILOT PITCHED AIRCRAFT NOSE DOWN RO ACHIEVE BEST GLIDE SPEED AT 65 MPH. SINCE A STRAIGHT LANDING WAS IMPRACTICAL DUE TO OBSTACLES PILOT ELECTED TO TURN 180 DEGREES TO RETURN TO RUNWAY.  AT ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN, THE PILOTS STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT.  PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED HARD IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITDUE.  DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION (ENGINE TEAR DOWN) IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT NUMBER 3 EXHAUST VALVE HAD FAILED.  DURING AIRCRAFT RECORDS REVIEW, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 3711.0 HOURS SINCE LAST OVERHAUL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX99LA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA279), Aug 21, 1999: Bellanca 7ECA (N88408), Livermore, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the no. 3 cylinder exhaust valve due to the operator's failure to adhere to recommended overhaul periods set by the engine manufacturer. A factor in the accident was the operator's…

## Other reports on N88408 (3)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20040627011779I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040627011779I), Jun 27, 2004: Bbavia 7ECA (N88408), Byron, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 27, 2004, at approximately 1520 UTC, pilot-rhett boeger made a mayday call on 121.5. He indicated that he was in the Byron Airport area. Mr.…
- [Accident 20021110031629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021110031629A), Nov 10, 2002: Bbavia 7ECA (N88408), Livermore, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot reported that he had lost control of his aircraft during a touch and go maneuver at the Livermore Municipal Airport. The pilot commented that…
- [Accident 19760504011619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760504011619A), May 4, 1976: Blanca 7ECA (N88408), Paso Robles, CA, Substantial damage. First solo flt.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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