20200521007429A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bellanca 8KCAB · Rainbow City, AL · May 21, 2020

Date: May 21, 2020 · 19:45 local
Place: Rainbow City, AL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N68555
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA20LA194
Reported as: Bellanca 8KCAB
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 438 total

N68555Registration cancelled May 27, 2023 · Bellanca 8KCABS/N 23-72 · Built 1972 Airframe modelBellanca 8KCAB Engine modelLycoming IO-320 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.

Engine lost power in cruise flight. Pilot was unable to maintain altitude, electing to execute an off airport emergency landing. Pilot intenionally stayed high on final to clear wires, then was unable to stop the airplane prior to running into tree line on FAR side of the landing area.

As the FAA filed it

ENGINE LOST POWER IN CRUISE FLIGHT. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, ELECTING TO EXECUTE AN OFF AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING. PILOT INTENIONALLY STAYED HIGH ON FINAL TO CLEAR WIRES, THEN WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO RUNNING INTO TREE LINE ON FAR SIDE OF THE LANDING AREA.

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 ERA20LA194Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRainbow City, ALThe partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.May 22, 2020 · Substantial damage