# Accident 20000830016929A: Bbavia 7BCM, Santa Fe, NM, August 30, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 30, 2000, 16:00 local time - Place: Santa Fe, NM - Airport: Santa Fe County Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.6171° N, 106.0894° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SANTA FE RGNL (SAF), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6171&lon=-106.0894&mi=10 - Aircraft: N66581, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N66581) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Aeronca 7BCM (registry code 2110106, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7bcm) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7BCM - Reported engine: CONT C858F - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 6,500 total, 800 in this make and model, 85 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN00LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA159) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000830016929A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)ON AUGUST 30, 2000, AT 1600 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AERONCA 7BCM, N66581, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE SHORT OF RUNWAY 20 AT SANTA FE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED DUMAS, TEXAS, AT 1200. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT, THE FLIGHT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 20 WHEN THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO APPLY POWER. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE AIRCRAFT SANK BELOW THE RUNWAY HEIGHT (RUNWAY 20 IS ON TOP OF A HILL). THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD THAT RAN PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY, BUT ENDED UP LANDING IN A SOFT DIRT FIELD. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE SOFT TERRAIN, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AND THE CHROME-MOLY TUBE FRAME WAS TWISTED. IN ADDITION, THE WING ATTACH POINTS ON THE FUSELAGE WERE TWISTING THE WINGS FORWARD AND DOWN. ADDITIONALLY, THE WINDSCRE EN WAS CRACKED AND ONE PROPELLER BLADE SUFFERED TIP DAMAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY A MECHANIC PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THE CARBURETOR NEEDLE VALVE HAD STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THE REASON FOR THE VALVE STICKING COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. (-23)ON FINAL (APPROX 3 MILES OUT) BEGAN DESCENT TO RUNWAY, APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, APPROACHING RUNWAY (1/4 MILE), ATTEMPTED TO APPLY POWER, NO RESPONSE FROM ENGINE, A/C WAS SINKING BELOW RUNWAY HEIGHT, (RUNWAY 20 ON TOP OF SLIGHT RISE). TURNED IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO RUNWAY, LANDED INSTEAD IN SOFT DIRT FIELD, HIT DIRT MOUND WHICH REMOVED LANDING GEAR AND BENT TIP OF ONE PROPELLER BLADE. NO INJURIES, NO PASSENGERS. PILOT WAS POSITIONING A/C TO LAS VEGAS, NV FOR OWNER ^PRIVACY DATA O^FLIGHT ORIGINATION WAS PENSACOLA, FL. ## 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 DEN00LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA159), Aug 30, 2000: Aeronca 7BCM (N66581), Santa Fe, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: Unsuitable terrain for a forced landing. Factors were a complete loss of power due to a stuck needle valve in the carburetor. ## Other reports on N66581 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19900901050069I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900901050069I), Sep 1, 1990: Bbavia 7BCM (N66581), Pensacola, FL, Substantial damage. Engine went to high power when hand propped. Aircraft struck parked aircraft. Pilot thrown out on impact. 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.