# Accident 20000607009489A: Blanca 1731ATC, Del Rio, TX, June 7, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 7, 2000, 14:55 local time - Place: Del Rio, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.3705° N, 100.8891° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3705&lon=-100.8891&mi=10 - Aircraft: N39827, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N39827-2012-09-27) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bellanca 17-31ATC (registry code 1220437, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-31atc) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BLANCA 1731ATC - Reported engine: LYC IO540K1E5 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,252 total, 19 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW00LA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA176) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000607009489A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON JUNE 7, 2000, AT APPROXIMATELY 1451 HOURS, A BELLANCA 1731ATC, N39827 OWNED AND OPERATED BY^PRIVACY DATA OMI^CRASHED 10 MILES NORHTWEST OF LAUGHLIN AFB, DEL RIO, TX. VFR FLIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND THE PILOT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM SAN ANTONIO (SAT) TO ONTARIO (ONT). THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND A LOSS OF 8" MANIFOLD PRESSURE. PILOT CONTACTED CENTER AND DIVERTED TO DEL RIO (DRT). DESCENDED FROM 9000 TO 4000. #3 CYLINDER AND TOP COWLING DEPARTED AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT FORCED LANDING IN ROUGH TERRAIN ON PRIVATE RANCH. NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT, COMMERCIAL RATED DID NOT SUSTAIN INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN SAN ANTONIO ON JUNE 7, 2000 AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 HOURS. (.4)ON JUNE 7, 2000, AT 1455 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELLANCA 17-31ATC AIRPLANE, N39827, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR DEL RIO, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS N OT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE STINSON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT NEAR SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AT 1330, AND WAS DESTINED FOR ELOY, ARIZONA. DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 12,500 FEET AND HE WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT FOLLOWING FROM THE DEL RIO APPROACH CONTROL, WHEN HE NOTICED THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROP FROM 37 INCHES TO 19 INCHES OF MERCURY. HE ALSO NOTICED THE EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATE A DECREASE IN TEMPERATURE. HE INFORMED APPROACH CONTROL THAT HE WAS HAVING AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE DEL RIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND INSTRUCTIONS TO DESCEND TO 4,000 FEET. WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 5,000 FEET, THE #3 CYLINDER, ALONG WITH THE ENGINE COWLING, SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT AND ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON A HIGHWAY. HE NOTICED POWER LINES NEAR THE HIGHWAY DURING THE APPROACH AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD, LOCATED EAST OF THE HIGHWAY. THE FIELD WAS COVERED WITH MESQUITE TREES. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED MESQUITE TREES, AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE WOODEN WING SPARS WERE STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED AND THE FUSELAGE TUBING WAS BENT. THE #3 CYLINDER, PISTON, AND CONNECTING ROD WERE MISSING FROM THE TEXTRON LYCOMING IO-540-KIE5 ENGINE. SMALL METALLIC DEBRIS REMAINED IN THE OIL SUMP. REVIEW OF THE ENGINE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE ORIGINAL ENGINE LOGBOOK WAS LOST, AND ON OCTOBER 1, 1983, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 1,238 HOURS (AT A TACHOMETER TIME OF 254.9). AT THAT TIME, THE ENGINE UNDERWENT A 100-HOUR INSPECTION AND THE PROPELLER AND TURBOCHARGER WERE REPLACED. ON NOVEMBER 19, 1984, THE #1 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED AT AN ENGINE TOTAL TIME OF 1,312.10 HOURS. ON NOVEMBER 6, 1989, AFTER A PROPELLER STRIKE, A TOP OVERHAUL AND CRANKSHAFT RUN-OUT INSPECTION WERE CONDUCTED ON THE ENGINE AT A TOTAL TIME OF 1,615.6 HOURS. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION RECORDED WAS ON APRIL 1, 1999, AT A TACHOMETER TIME OF 835 HOURS, AND THE LAST 100-HOUR INSPECTION ON THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETED ON MARCH 28, 2000, AT A TACHOMETER TIME OF 852.45 HOURS AND AN ENGINE TIME OF 1,830.55 HOURS. ## 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 FTW00LA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA176), Jun 7, 2000: Bellanca 17-31ATC (N39827), Del Rio, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of the #3 connecting rod, piston, and cylinder. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Other reports on N39827 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19850401019699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850401019699I), Apr 1, 1985: Blanca 1731ATC (N39827), Portland, ME. Gear down light did not illuminate prior to landing. Safe landing. Replaced gear indicator switch. - [Incident 19810204016369I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810204016369I), Feb 4, 1981: Blanca 1731 (N39827), Santa Monica, CA, Minor damage. Nose gear collapsed at time of ground contact. Retract unit malfunctioned. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.