BFO85FA051

NTSB accident investigation · Bellanca 17-30A · College Park, MD · June 22, 1985

Accident · Minor injuriesField investigationFinal report
Date
June 21, 1985, 20:48 local (Jun 22, 1985, 00:48 UTC)
Place
College Park, MD
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N93533Bellanca 17-30A
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
11135

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalTakeoff - initial climb
Fuel system,cap - looseCause
Fluid,fuel - contaminationCause
Fluid,fuel - waterCause
Fuel system,drain - inadequateCause
Aircraft preflight - performedPilot in command
Acft/equip,inadequate aircraft componentManufacturerFactor
Forced landingDescent - emergency
Emergency procedure - performedPilot in command
In flight collision with objectDescent - emergency
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Object - wire,transmissionFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - open field
On ground/water collision with objectOther
Object - fenceFactor

Analysis

Bfr flt, the plt obtained fuel samples thru the remotely operated gascolator, but detected no water. No samples could bedrawn directly fm the wing or fuselage tanks since they had no quick drains installed. A pwr loss occurred drg takeoff at 50 to 100 ft AGL. The plt switched fuel tanks (from l to r main) & engaged the boost pump. Eng pwr returned as the acft struck utility lines near the end of the rwy. The acft then crashed & hit a fence bfr coming to rest. A similar pwrloss occurred aprx 3 wks earlier. Maint psnl found a loose l tank fuel cap which could have allowed water to leak into this tank. A mechanic adjusted the fuel cap for a tight fit. The acft was then flown twice, prior to the acdnt, with no evidence of water in the fuel or other discrepancies. However, after the acdnt, direct access to the l main tank revealed the presence of water which was colored pink. Pink stains were also present on the tank wall above the aft fuel outlet port. The outlet ports of the interconnected main tank cells were 3/8 to 1/2 inch above the tank bottoms.

Aircraft

Registration
N93533
Reported as
Bellanca 17-30A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
73-30575
Airframe hours
1,652
Engine
Continental IO-520-K, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
William D. Breneman
Registered owner
J And B Company
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 1, 1984 · 30 hours before
Airport
CGS · College Park, runway 33, 2,740 × 40 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
41
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
3,187 total · 468 in this make and model · 2,235 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
180° at 4 knots
Visibility
12 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
DCA, 10 nm away