# NTSB CEN21LA050: Bellanca 1730, N7333V, San Saba, TX, October 5, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 5, 2020, 12:20 local (17:20 UTC) - Place: San Saba, TX - Coordinates: 31.231591, -98.710907 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.2316&lon=-98.7109&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102264 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102264/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102264 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA050 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1220432), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1220432), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1220432), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=1220432), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he was in cruise flight when he ran out of fuel in the right fuel tank and the airplane’s engine lost all power. He attempted to get the engine restarted but could not. The student pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a highway about a half a mile east of his intended destination airport. During the forced landing, one wing sustained substantial damage to the spar. The student pilot reported to the inspector that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot did not provide an NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7333V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7333V), registered now, S/N 30190 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 1730 (A) - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30) (registry code 1220432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30190 - Year built: 1969 - Engines: Continental IO-520 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Weber Justin L - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KTPL, Temple, TX - Destination: KMAF, Midland, TX - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 81R, San Saba County Muni, runway 31, 4,205 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: KAQO, 27 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20201005020599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201005020599A), Oct 5, 2020: Bellanca 17-30, San Saba, TX, Substantial damage. On October 5, 2020. A Bellanca sv 1730-A, N7333V, departed temple Texas In route to midland Texas. At approximately 1421 CST, the engine lost Power. Pilot… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 18, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102264. 26.7 MB in all. - Memo for record report information (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 126 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12427639&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-FAA-Rel.pdf - Radar data (item 2, PDF, 21 pages, 26.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12427596&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=AirNav%20RadarBox%20data-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.