# NTSB CEN24LA147: Bellanca 7KCAB, N8946, Bluff Dale, TX, April 4, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 3, 2024, 22:11 local (Apr 4, 2024, 03:11 UTC) - Place: Bluff Dale, TX - Coordinates: 32.31, -98.058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3100&lon=-98.0580&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 4, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration: FSDO NTX - NTSB case key (mKey): 194032 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA147 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194032/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194032 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA147 ## Probable cause An engine compartment fire for reasons that could not be determined due to extensive thermal damage. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1220701), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=1220701), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while enroute at 5,500 ft on a night cross-country flight, flames started coming out of the oil access door on the airplane’s cowling. The pilot executed an emergency landing and exited the airplane without further incident or injury. The fire continued to burn, and the airplane was destroyed. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine confirmed evidence of a fire in the engine compartment but its source could not be identified due to extensive thermal damage. The reason for the fire could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On April 3, 2024, at 2211 central daylight time, a Bellanca 7KCAB airplane, N8946, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Bluff Dale, Texas. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he was on a night, visual flight rules, cross-country flight, at 5,500 ft, from Brownwood Regional Airport (BWD), Brownwood, Texas, to Granbury Regional Airport (GDJ), Granbury, Texas. The pilot stated that initially he noticed a strange chemical smell but did not see any smoke. He said that the oil access door on the upper right side of the engine cowling popped open and he observed flames coming from the opening. The pilot shut off fuel to the engine and executed an emergency descent. He landed in a field 15 nautical miles southwest of GDJ and exited the airplane, which continued to burn and was destroyed by the fire. Postaccident examination of the airplane confirmed evidence of a centralized fire between the engine and the airplane firewall. All components in that area exhibited significant fire damage. Other areas of the engine compartment had less evidence of fire damage. An annual inspection was completed on the airplane about 11 months before the accident. The airplane had flown about 80 hours between the maintenance and the accident flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8946](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8946), registered now, S/N 407-74, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7KCAB - Registry model: [Bellanca 7KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7kcab) (registry code 1220701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 407-74 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 2098 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 4, 2023 - Departed: BWD, Brownwood, TX - Destination: GDJ, Granbury, TX - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 6, 2024; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 347.3 total, 121.3 in this make and model, 293.8 as pilot in command, 37.5 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 2.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.99 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KSEP, 8 nm away - METAR: METAR KSEP 040315Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/04 A2999 RMK AO2 T01570041= ## 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 20240403011079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240403011079A), Apr 3, 2024: Bellanca 7KCAB, Bluff Dale, TX, Destroyed. Pilot conducted an emergency landing in a field due to smoke and flames from engine compartment. Pilot exited aircraft and aircraft caught fire. ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 4, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194032. 8.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17006441&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20CEN24LA147_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17017297&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Accident scene photos (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19523697&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - Aircraft examination (item 4, PDF, 8 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19543155&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20exam-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 134 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19544243&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=REVISED%20-%20Paul%20Cox%20Retention-Release-of-Wreckage-Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance record excerpt (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19943621&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N8946%20Maint_Redacted-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.