# NTSB CHI93LA250: Bellanca 8KCAB, N4201Y, Harvel, IL, July 12, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 12, 1993, 09:17 local (14:17 UTC) - Place: Harvel, IL - Coordinates: 39.350254, -89.530387 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3503&lon=-89.5304&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report July 25, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9234 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI93LA250 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9234/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI93LA250 ## Probable cause THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - poor, pilot in command - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency ## Analysis THE PILOT FILLED HER FUEL TANKS ON JULY 3, 1993 AND MADE A SHORT TRIP FROM DELAVAN, WISCONSIN TO KENOSHA, WISCONSIN ON THAT DAY. THE PILOT ASSUMED SHE HAD 33.5 GALLONS OF FUEL LEFT WHEN SHE DEPARTED KENOSHA ON JULY 12, 1993. NEAR TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS, THE PILOT NOTICED LOWER THAN EXPECTED FUEL GUAGE READINGS. SHE TRIED TO BE VECTORED TO TAYLORVILLE AIRPORT BUT THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL, AND THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT LINED UP ON A BEAN FIELD FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE FORCED LANDING. ## Factual narrative On July 12, 1993, about 0917 central daylight time, a Bellanca Decathlon (BL30); N4201Y, was destroyed and the private pilot was seriously injured when the aircraft experienced an engine problem, and impacted the ground. The pleasure flight, originating from Kenosha Municipal Airport, Kenosha, Wisconsin, was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions with no flight plan on file. The flight departed Kenosha, Wisconsin approximately 0715 CDT, for St. Jacob, Illinois, on the first leg of a cross country flight to Houston, Texas. The pilot's first planned fuel stop was to be St. Jacob, Illinois (3K6). Having filled the tanks on July 3, 1993, and making only a short trip from Delavan, Wisconsin to Kenosha, Wisconsin on that day, the pilot assumed she had 33.5 gallons of fuel left when she departed ENW for 3K6 on July 12, 1993. The pilot reported that "In the general vicinity of the Taylorville Airport, I noticed that the aircraft fuel gauges indicated that the fuel supply was lower than it should have been." She also noticed that the weather was deteriorating, and decided to locate an alternate airport, Taylorville Airport, to check her fuel supply, and also to get an updated weather briefing. The pilot contacted Taylorville on the Unicom frequency and described some landmarks to them to get a good heading toward the airport. Unable to discern her location, Taylorville suggested a 270 heading and a frequency. After contacting the facility, she was told to squawk a code. At this point, the engine began to sputter. The pilot stated that "It seemed as though I was running out of fuel, but this did not seem possible since I had only flown a little over two hours, and departed with enough fuel for over three hours of flight time." Realizing she would have to make a forced landing, the pilot lined up with a bean field, and set up for a landing in the field. The aircraft was destroyed during the forced landing. Investigation found the main fuel filter was approximately half full. The carburetor fuel filter was wet with no significant amount of fuel in the filter cavity. Inspection of the right wing fuel tank revealed a small amount of fuel in the lower rear inboard corner of the tank. The left wing came to rest, inverted, about hte right wing. While rolling the aircraft to expose the top of the left wing, approximately one half pint of fuel ran out of the fuel line from the left tank, which had been cut to facilitate the removal of the pilot. Probing the tank revealed less that a gallon of fuel remaining in the tank. Medical personnel stated that they noticed a definite lack of fuel smell or visible fuel during the removal of the pilot. Post-accident examination revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunction with airframe, engine or accessories. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4201Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4201Y-1995-03-16), registration cancelled 1995-03-16, S/N 29477 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 8KCAB - Registry model: [Bellanca 8KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-8kcab) (registry code 1220801) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 294-77 - Airframe hours: 1262 - Engines: LYCOMING AEID-320-E1B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Lynne F. Zielinski - Registered owner: Lynne F. Zielinski - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 1993, 8 hours before - Departed: ENW, KENOSHA, WI - Destination: 3K6, ST. JACOB, IL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 257 total, 42 in this make and model, 165 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 9 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: SPI, 30 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 19930712023119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930712023119A), Jul 12, 1993: Bbavia 8KCAB, Harvel, IL, Destroyed. Low on fuel. Engine quit trying to locate nearby airport. Crash landed in a bean field. No useable fuel onboard. 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.