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20041025026739A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Blanca 17-30 · Las Vegas, NV · October 25, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 25, 2004 · 14:35 local
Place
Las Vegas, NV
Airport
Henderson
Phase of flight
Forced Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4894V
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX05CA016
Reported as
Blanca 1730
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,610 total120 in this make and model36 in the last 90 days
N4894VRegistration cancelled Aug 19, 2013 · Bellanca 17-30S/N 30133 · Built 1968Airframe modelBellanca 17-30Engine 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.

(-23) On October 25, 2004 at about 1435 local time, a Bellanca BL-17-30 aircraft made a forced landing just short of the runway following a loss of engine power while on final approach for runway 17R at Henderson executive (hnd) airport in Henderson, NV. The sole occupant received minor cuts and abrasions. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. On scene investigation revealed that the left main and left auxiliary fuel tank were both depleted. The pilot stated that he had selected the left main fuel tank while he was about 20 miles out. While on a right turn onto base leg, the engine lost power, with the aircraft so low to the ground he thought that he did not have enough time to switch to the right main tank and turn the fuel boost pump on. The pilot further stated that after exiting the aircraft he examined the aircraft fuel tanks and noted that the left main and left auxiliary tanks were both empty with the right main tank having about 18 gallons of fuel remaining. He also stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 25, 2004 AT ABOUT 1435 LOCAL TIME, A BELLANCA BL-17-30 AIRCRAFT MADE A FORCED LANDING JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 17R AT HENDERSON EXECUTIVE (HND) AIRPORT IN HENDERSON, NV. THE SOLE OCCUPANT RECEIVED MINOR CUTS AND ABRASIONS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAIN AND LEFT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WERE BOTH DEPLETED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD SELECTED THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK WHILE HE WAS ABOUT 20 MILES OUT. WHILE ON A RIGHT TURN ONTO BASE LEG, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, WITH THE AIRCRAFT SO LOW TO THE GROUND HE THOUGHT THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SWITCH TO THE RIGHT MAIN TANK AND TURN THE FUEL BOOST PUMP ON. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT AFTER EXITING THE AIRCRAFT HE EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS AND NOTED THAT THE LEFT MAIN AND LEFT AUXILIARY TANKS WERE BOTH EMPTY WITH THE RIGHT MAIN TANK HAVING ABOUT 18 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

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 LAX05CA016Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportLas Vegas, NVthe pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power.Oct 25, 2004 · Substantial damage