20001124041329A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Blanca 17-30A · Union, CT · November 24, 2000

Date: November 24, 2000 · 10:15 local
Place: Union, CT
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N280H
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD01LA016
Reported as: Blanca 1730A
Reported engine: Continental IO520*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 480 total200 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N280HRegistration cancelled Jun 21, 2017 · Bellanca 17-30AS/N 73-30579 · Built 1973 Airframe modelBellanca 17-30A Engine 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.

(.4) While descending through 3,000 feet, the airplane's engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and made a forced landing. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing fuel tanks were intact and empty of fuel. Two of the three left wing fuel tanks were found separated from the left wing, and were ruptured. However, a half-gallon of fuel was found in one of the tanks. The fuel was absent of debris and water. There was no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site, and the fuel selector was set to the right wing tanks. A 15-gallon auxiliary tank was located in the rear seat area and was full of fuel. Examination of the fuel selector placard revealed there was no indication of an 'aux' position; however, the selector could be moved beyond the 'left' tank position, and aligned with a white spot worn on the trim cover. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed there were no mechanical deficiencies.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 3,000 FEET, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANKS WERE INTACT AND EMPTY OF FUEL. TWO OF THE THREE LEFT WING FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE LEFT WING, AND WERE RUPTURED. HOWEVER, A HALF-GALLON OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN ONE OF THE TANKS. THE FUEL WAS ABSENT OF DEBRIS AND WATER. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO THE RIGHT WING TANKS. A 15-GALLON AUXILIARY TANK WAS LOCATED IN THE REAR SEAT AREA AND WAS FULL OF FUEL. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR PLACARD REVEALED THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN 'AUX' POSITION; HOWEVER, THE SELECTOR COULD BE MOVED BEYOND THE 'LEFT' TANK POSITION, AND ALIGNED WITH A WHITE SPOT WORN ON THE TRIM COVER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE REVEALED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES.

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 IAD01LA016Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportUnion, CTpilot's mismanagement of the available fuel supply, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.Nov 24, 2000 · Substantial damage