- Date
- November 1, 2011, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Borger, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N711WDowner Bellanca 14-19-2
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111101024989A
- Case key
- 82230
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s improper fuel management. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s diverted attention with the broken fuel gauge knob.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was on a cross-country flight at 9,500 feet mean sea level. About 20 miles from his destination, he started the descent to the airport. The pilot reported that he looked at his fuel gauge and decided to switch fuel tanks when the airplane reached 5,000 feet. As he leveled the airplane, the engine lost power before the pilot switched fuel tanks. He turned on the fuel pump and attempted to turn the fuel selector knob. However, the knob broke in half, leaving just the post. Unable to turn the post and restart the engine, the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing in an open area. During the forced landing, the left wing was nearly severed in two by impact with a tree, the landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot stated that he mistakenly turned the fuel gauge selector knob and not the fuel selector knob then got distracted by the knob breaking.
Factual narrative
The pilot was on a cross-country flight at 9,500 feet mean sea level. Approximately 20 miles from his destination he started the descent to the airport. The pilot reported that he looked at his fuel gauge and decided to switch fuel tanks when reaching 5,000 feet. As he leveled the airplane off, the engine lost power. He turned on the fuel pump and attempted to turn the fuel selector knob. However, the knob broke in half, leaving just the post. Unable to turn the post and re-start the engine, the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing in an open area. During the forced landing, the left wing was nearly severed in two by an impact with a tree, the landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot added that he mistakenly turned the fuel gauge selector knob and not the fuel selector knob, then got distracted by the knob breaking.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N711W
- Reported as
- Downer Bellanca 14-19-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4044
- Airframe hours
- 2,501
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 2, 2011
- Departed
- KPVW · Plainview, TX
- Destination
- Borger, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 678 total · 32 in this make and model · 601 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- KBGD, 20 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 8, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.