20140101000359A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bellanca 17-30A · Alabaster, AL · January 1, 2014

Date: January 1, 2014 · 14:21 local
Place: Alabaster, AL
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N351AE
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA14LA083
Reported as: Bellanca 17-30A
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 626 total120 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

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.

Departed eky at 14:05 CST enroute to eet for fuel. While in climb at approximately 2100 AGL engine started running rough. Activated boost pump and engine quit (propeller stopped). Pilot established best glide (gear down) and impacted trees and ground at approximately 14:20 CST in residential area. Pilot stated aircraft had approximately 19.5 gallons of fuel (11.5 usable) on board at takeoff. Aircraft was inverted on ground, both outer wing sections gone and fuselage twisted. Pilot had only minor injury.

As the FAA filed it

DEPARTED EKY AT 14:05 CST ENROUTE TO EET FOR FUEL. WHILE IN CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 2100 AGL ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. ACTIVATED BOOST PUMP AND ENGINE QUIT (PROPELLER STOPPED). PILOT ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE (GEAR DOWN) AND IMPACTED TREES AND GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 14:20 CST IN RESIDENTIAL AREA. PILOT STATED AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 19.5 GALLONS OF FUEL (11.5 USABLE) ON BOARD AT TAKEOFF. AIRCRAFT WAS INVERTED ON GROUND, BOTH OUTER WING SECTIONS GONE AND FUSELAGE TWISTED. PILOT HAD ONLY MINOR INJURY.

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 ERA14LA083Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAlabaster, ALThe pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.Jan 1, 2014 · Substantial damage