# Accident 20201202017439A: Bellanca 17-30A, Blaine, MN, December 2, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 2, 2020, 21:15 local time
- Place: Blaine, MN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.0481° N, 93.1876° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.0481&lon=-93.1876&mi=10
- Aircraft: N28067, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N28067) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bellanca 17-30A (registry code 1220433, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17-30A
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 550 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA073) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201202017439A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

2020-12-02 N28067, 1979 BELLANCA, TOOK OFF FROM ANOKA, MN AIRPORT (KANE) AT ABOUT 2100L. THE PLAN WAS A SCENIC NIGHT FLIGHT OVER MINNEAPOLIS TO SEE THE CITY LIT UP AND THEN PROCEED SOUTH EAST TO ST. PAUL TO VIEW THE CAPITAL ALL LIT UP. THE CEILINGS IN THE AREA WERE AROUND 2000FT AGL AND THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AT 1200FT AGL. AFTER A 360 DEGREE CIRCLE OVER THE DOWNTOWN VIKINGS STADIUM, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AN AUDIBLE BANG WAS HEARD ACCOMPANIED BY VIBRATION AND A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. THE PIC IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND STARTED TO CLIMB. ATC OFFERED STEERS TO ST. PAUL AIRPORT (KSTP), BUT THE PIC WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND CHOSE TO FOLLOW THE FREEWAY NORTH TO KANE. UPON REACHING APPROXIMATELY 2300FT AGL, THE TOP COWL DOOR ON THE ENGINE BLEW OPEN, SPARKS SHOT OUT, AND A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WAS ENCOUNTERED.

THE PILOT WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND CONTINUED FOLLOWING THE LIT UP FREEWAY NORTH. HE CLEARED A HIGH POWER STANTION LINE CROSSING LEFT TO RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM AND CONTINUED GLIDING FOR THE FREEWAY. THE FUEL VALVE AND MAGNETOS WERE SECURED, ELECTRIC REMAINED ON. GEAR AND FLAPS WERE HELD FOR BEST GLIDE. WHEN LANDING ON THE ROAD WAS IMMINENT, THE PIC PUT DOWN THE LANDING GEAR AND HAD A NORMAL LANDING. THERE WAS A VEHICLE TO HIS FRONT, EVEN WITH MAX BRAKING, HE CLOSED ON THE VEHICLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SWERVE LEFT OF IT THE OUTER PORTION OF HIS RIGHT WING CONNECTED WITH THE AFT LEFT TAIL PORTION OF THE SUV. THE AIRPLANE YAWED RIGHT INTO THE SUV, PUTTING THE PROP INTO THE SUV ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DURING THE YAW RIGHT THE LEFT WING AND TAIL SLID UP ONTO A 3 FT CONCRETE BARRIER.

THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP WITH THE VEHICLE LESS THAN 6 MILES FROM KANE AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER EGRESSED AND CHECKED ON THE SINGLE OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. 911 WAS CALLED AND STATE TROOPERS DISPATCHED TO CLOSE THE FREEWAY.

THE FAA IIC ARRIVED ON SCENE ABOUT AN HOUR LATER. THERE WAS VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, RUDDER AND AILERON OF THE LEFT WING PROPPED UP ON THE CONCRETE BARRIER. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS OIL VISIBLE ON THE TOP COWLING AND UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WAS FUEL IN BOTH WINGS AND IT WAS NOT LEAKING OUT.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED OFF THE CONCRETE BARRICADE AND SEPARATED FROM THE SUV WITH A CRANE. APPROXIMATELY 2345L THE LOADING OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETE, IT DEPARTED AND THE FREEWAY WAS REOPENED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN21LA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA073), Dec 3, 2020: Bellanca 17-30A (N28067), Arden Hills, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: Incorrect connecting rod installation, which resulted in the failure of the nos. 5 and 6 connecting rods and subsequent total loss of engine power.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.