20161218022509A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bellanca 17-30A · Blaine, MN · December 18, 2016

Date: December 18, 2016 · 15:20 local
Place: Blaine, MN
Airport: Anoka
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4204B
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN17LA058
Reported as: Bellanca 17-30A
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,508 total28 in this make and model

N4204BRegistered now · Bellanca 17-30AS/N 75-30753 · Built 1974 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.

Part 91 flt from hib to fcm. Pilot experienced engine knocking and oil smell in cockpit and loss of oil pressure. Reduced power to idle and attempted divert to ane. Pilot realized he was short of runway 18 so applied throttle then engine seized. Due to high rate of descent, pilot landed on highway 14 (main street) eastbound.

Aircraft impacted road sign posts shearing off 2-3' section of left wing and damaging left wing root near fuselage. No injuries to sole occupant.

Subsequent inspection revealed engine failure as evidenced by crankcase outward breakage on top left and right sides. Internal engine debris deposited between aft left cylinders.

Engine oil breather line was found ice plugged and forward eng seal pushed partially out. 5 qts oil remaining.

Amendment created 1-12-2017 due to engine scheduled for teardown analysis 3-26-2017.

Engine manufacturer teardown inspection report issued June 8, 2017. Report summary: the engine suffered an oil starvation event for unknown reasons.

As the FAA filed it

PART 91 FLT FROM HIB TO FCM. PILOT EXPERIENCED ENGINE KNOCKING AND OIL SMELL IN COCKPIT AND LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. REDUCED POWER TO IDLE AND ATTEMPTED DIVERT TO ANE. PILOT REALIZED HE WAS SHORT OF RUNWAY 18 SO APPLIED THROTTLE THEN ENGINE SEIZED. DUE TO HIGH RATE OF DESCENT, PILOT LANDED ON HIGHWAY 14 (MAIN STREET) EASTBOUND.

AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ROAD SIGN POSTS SHEARING OFF 2-3' SECTION OF LEFT WING AND DAMAGING LEFT WING ROOT NEAR FUSELAGE. NO INJURIES TO SOLE OCCUPANT.

SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED ENGINE FAILURE AS EVIDENCED BY CRANKCASE OUTWARD BREAKAGE ON TOP LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. INTERNAL ENGINE DEBRIS DEPOSITED BETWEEN AFT LEFT CYLINDERS.

ENGINE OIL BREATHER LINE WAS FOUND ICE PLUGGED AND FORWARD ENG SEAL PUSHED PARTIALLY OUT. 5 QTS OIL REMAINING.

AMENDMENT CREATED 1-12-2017 DUE TO ENGINE SCHEDULED FOR TEARDOWN ANALYSIS 3-26-2017.

ENGINE MANUFACTURER TEARDOWN INSPECTION REPORT ISSUED JUNE 8, 2017. REPORT SUMMARY: THE ENGINE SUFFERED AN OIL STARVATION EVENT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.

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 CEN17LA058Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBlaine, MNA total loss of engine power due to a lack of crankshaft lubrication to the No. 4 connecting rod journal.Dec 18, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4204B · 4

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20110618018799ILanding: Rollout · Tucson, AZOn 6-18-2011 @ 0840 PDT, N4204B, s/n 75-30753 sustained damage to all (3) landing gear. The damage occured during the landing rollout at Tucson airport on runway 03 when the aircraft did a 180 exiting onto taxiway bravo. The pilot and passenger were not…Jun 18, 2011 · Substantial damage Incident 19890525029489IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Scottsbluff, NELost directional control on rollout. Veered off runway striking a runway light. Left gear damaged.May 25, 1989 · Minor damage Incident 19790211006889IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Arbuckle, CAEncountered weather with low fuel brakes frozen and overran runway end. Plane out of annual. No registration.Feb 11, 1979 · Minor damage Incident 19780519034199ILevel Off Touchdown · Oakland, CAAircraft bounced twice on landing collapsing right main gear.May 19, 1978 · Minor damage