# Accident 20001012019069A: Blanca 1730, Waller, TX, October 12, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 12, 2000, 18:30 local time - Place: Waller, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.0697° N, 95.9277° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Waller, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0697&lon=-95.9277&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4882V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4882V-2009-04-29) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bellanca 17-30 (registry code 1220432, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BLANCA 1730 - Reported engine: CONT IO520D - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA009) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001012019069A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON 10-12-2000, AT APPROX. 1830 CDT, A BELLANCE, MODEL 17-30, N4882V, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER TAKEOFF, AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE A/C DEPARTED FROM SKYDIVE HOUSTON AIRPORT (3XS7) ON A 14CFR PART 91 LOCAL FLIGHT. THE A/C WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF A LOUD SOUND CAME FROM THE ENGINE FOLLOWED BY A HARD VIBRATION, THEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDFING INTO A FIELD, SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE A/C STRUCK A TREE IN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE A/C CAME TO REST UPRIGHT WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, TEARING THE ENGINE FROM ITS MOUNT AND SEPARATING THE PROP FROM THE ENGINE. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE NO 2 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD BOLT(S) HAD FAILED AND HAD KNOCKED OFF BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT MAGNETOS. THERE WAS NO FIRE. (.4) ON OCTOBER 12, 2000, AT 1830 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELLANCA BL17-30 SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N4882V, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR WALLER, TEXAS. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATION PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SKYDIVE AIRPORT NEAR HOUSTON, TEXAS AT 1825. ACCORDING TO A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT CONDUCTED BY AN NTSB INVESTIGATOR AND THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, AFTER TAKEOFF, APPROXIMATELY 1,100 FEET AGL, A "LOUD SOUND CAME FROM THE ENGINE, FOLLOWED BY A HARD VIBRATION." WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING, THE PILOT "TURNED TOWARD THE AIRPORT AND THEN THE ENGINE QUIT." THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD NEAR THE AIRPORT. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A TREE, PULLING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. ACCORDING TO MAINTENANCE RECORDS, ON OCTOBER 22, 1999, THE CONTINENTAL IO-520-D ENGINE, SERIAL NUMBER 158848-8-D, HAD A TOP OVERHAUL COMPLETED AT 2,317.4 HOURS AIRCRAFT TOTAL TIME. ALL CYLINDERS, RODS, ROD BOLTS, ROD NUTS, AND ROD BEARINGS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD 2,359.04 HOURS TOTAL TIME, AND THE ENGINE HAD 702.87 HOURS TOTAL TIME SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL AND 41.64 HOURS TOTAL TIME SINCE TOP OVERHAUL. AN FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, STATED THAT THE CONNECTING ROD ON THE #2 CYLINDER WAS BROKEN. THE WINGS, LANDING GEAR, AND ENGINE FIREWALL WERE STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED. ON FEBRUARY 9, 2001, NTSB REPRESENTATIVES, AN FAA INSPECTOR, AND A TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS (TCM) REPRESENTATIVE WITNESSED AN ENGINE TEARDOWN THAT WAS CONDUCTED AT AIR SALVAGE OF DALLAS, NEAR LANCASTER, TEXAS. THE TEARDOWN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FRACTURED AT THE LEAD BUSHING HOLE IN THE NUMBER 2 CHEEK COUNTERWEIGHT HOUSING, AND THE CORRESPONDING COUNTERWEIGHT WAS MISSING. A PORTION OF THE CRANKSHAFT, TWO COUNTERWEIGHT PINS, BUSHINGS, ONE PLATE, AND REMNANTS OF TWO SNAP RINGS WERE RETAINED FOR FURTHER METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION. THE CRANKSHAFT AND COUNTERWEIGHT COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED AT THE TCM FACILITY ON MARCH 21, 2001, UNDER NTSB SUPERVISION. ACCORDING TO TCM, "THE CRANKSHAFT 'BUMP' SURFACE AT THE FRACTURED LEADING END EXHIBITED POLISHING FROM THE COUNTERWEIGHT HITTING THE SURFACE. THE POLISHING COULD ONLY OCCUR IF THE REAR PIN HAD ESCAPED AND THE COUNTERWEIGHT STOOD UP, HITTING THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKCASE AS IT TRAILED THROUGH [THE] ENGINE." THE CRANKSHAFT COUNTERWEIGHT HOUSING HAD FRACTURED DUE TO OVERLOAD. THE COUNTERWEIGHT PINS WERE MEASURED AND WERE FOUND TO BE WITHIN TCM SPECIFICATIONS. ## 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 FTW01LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA009), Oct 12, 2000: Bellanca BL17-30 (N4882V), Waller, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the loss of engine power during climb to cruise due to the failure of the crankshaft counterweight. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Other reports on N4882V (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19860926053019I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860926053019I), Sep 26, 1986: Blanca 1730 (N4882V), Angleton, TX, Minor damage. Unable to fully extend gear for landing. Landed gear up. 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.