20230909016999A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bellanca 7ECA · El Cajone, CA · September 9, 2023

Date: September 9, 2023 · 11:25 local
Place: El Cajone, CA
Airport: Gillespie Field
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N57679
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA341
Reported as: Bellanca 7ECA
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-290 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 600 total

N57679Registered now · Bellanca 7ECAS/N 999-74 · Built 1974 Airframe modelBellanca 7ECA Engine modelLycoming 0-290 series4 cycle

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.

Pilot reported while on approach to land at about 700 feet and about a mile or two from the runway the engine stopped. He attempted a restart but was unsuccessful, aircraft landed short and hit a security fence then crossed a road and hit another airport perimeter fence coming to a complete stop. Pilot indicated that the carburetor heat was turned off and that it should have been turned on. Aircraft was towed to the privacy data omitted hangar; owner started the engine with no issues.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTED WHILE ON APPROACH TO LAND AT ABOUT 700 FEET AND ABOUT A MILE OR TWO FROM THE RUNWAY THE ENGINE STOPPED. HE ATTEMPTED A RESTART BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT AND HIT A SECURITY FENCE THEN CROSSED A ROAD AND HIT ANOTHER AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. PILOT INDICATED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS TURNED OFF AND THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TURNED ON. AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HANGAR; OWNER STARTED THE ENGINE WITH NO ISSUES.

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 WPR23LA341Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportEl Cajon, CAA total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Sep 9, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N57679 · 1

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

Accident 19770219006609AForced/Precautionary Landing · Galena, MDFeb 19, 1977 · Substantial damage