# NTSB CEN24LA152: Bellanca 17-30A, N9996V, Galveston, TX, April 5, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 5, 2024, 11:03 local (16:03 UTC) - Place: Galveston, TX - Coordinates: 29.265333, -94.860417 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2653&lon=-94.8604&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 194058 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA152 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194058/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194058 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA152 ## Probable cause Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the oil filter adapter when replacing the oil filter adapter gasket which resulted in the filter becoming loose, resulting in the loss of engine oil, and the subsequent total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Eng oil sys (airframe furnish)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Related maintenance info; cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900/cases.md) - [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel; cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/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); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) - [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while in cruise flight he briefly had smoke in the cockpit. The smoke dissipated and after being cleared to land, the engine quit suddenly, and the propeller stopped rotating. He alerted the tower and immediately retracted the landing gear and flaps and established best glide airspeed. When landing was assured, he lowered the landing gear, but the right main landing gear did not extend. The right wing struck a runway light and was substantially damaged. Post-accident examination by the mechanic who worked on the airplane a few days prior to the accident revealed that the safety wire he cut while performing a gasket replacement on the oil filter adapter had not been removed and replaced. It is likely that because the cut safety wire was not replaced and secured when the filter adapter gasket was replaced, the filter became loose during engine operation which allowed for engine oil to leak out resulting in the subsequent loss of engine power due to oil starvation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9996V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9996V), registered now, S/N 30339, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17-30A - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30339 - Year built: 1971 - Airframe hours: 3471.8 - Engines: Continental IO-520-K 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 1, 2024 - Departed: KLVJ, Pearland, TX - Destination: KGLS, Galveston, TX - Airport: GLS, Scholes International Airport at Galveston, runway 18, 6,001 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 30, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 865 total, 799 in this make and model, 777 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 64 °F - METAR: SPECI KGLS 051610Z 20014KT 10SM CLR 24/18 A3010 RMK ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20240405003499I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240405003499I), Apr 5, 2024: Bellanca 17-30A, Galveston, TX, Minor damage. At approximately 10:50 CT aircraft departed pearland regional airport (lvj) enroute to Galveston Scholes airport (gls), 28 miles away. At approximately 17… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 28, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194058. 7.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17063090&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Form%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 483 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17062860&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Mechanics%20Statement%201_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17063541&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Log%20Book%20Scan_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 932 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17120406&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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.