CHI93LA324

NTSB accident investigation · Bellanca BL-17-30 · Lee'S Summit, MO · August 15, 1993

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 15, 1993, 11:10 local (16:10 UTC)
Place
Lee'S Summit, MO
Injuries
1 minor, 1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N4846VBellanca BL-17-30
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 20, 1994
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19930815029269A
Case key
9282

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

improper maintenance which resulted in a disconnected throttle lever linkage.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malfGo-around (vfr)
Throttle/power lever,linkage - not safetied
Throttle/power lever,linkage - disconnectedCause
Throttle/power control - not possiblePilot in command
Maintenance - improperOther maintenance personnelCause
Forced landingDescent - emergency
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - emergency
Terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment

Analysis

During a recurrent training flight, the instructor commanded the pilot to execute a go around because an airppane was on the runway of intended use. The pilot stated he applied power, retracted the landing gear and flaps. He stated the airplane did not accelerate and he observed the tachometer displaying 1,400 RPM. Due to low altitude, the pilot turned the airplane toward a runway which was under construction. The airplane collided with a dirt bank adjacent to the runway under construction. The right outboard section of the airplane's wing separated during the collision. An on scene investigation revealed the throttle linkage fork was not attached to the throttle arm of the fuel control. The bolt, nut, and cotter key were not found during the investigation. The accident flight was the airplane's first flight since coming out of long term maintenance.

Factual narrative

On August 15, 1993, at 1110 central daylight time (CDT), a Bellanca BL-17-30, N4846V, registered to Karl E. Kingsley of Kansas City, Missouri, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing onto Runway 18 which was under construction at the Lee's Summit Municipal Airport, Lee's Summit, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight had not filed a flight plan. The pilot reported minor injuries, the flight instructor reported no injuries. The flight originated from Osawatomie, Kansas, at 1100 CDT.

The purpose of the flight, according to the pilot, was for recurrent training in the airplane. The pilot stated the airplane had undergone maintenance during the previous 12 months. The accident flight was the first flight since the maintenance activity.

The pilot stated he had extended the traffic pattern's downwind leg for spacing behind a slower airplane. While on final approach for Runway 29, the instructor told the pilot to go around because the airplane which had landed in front of their's appeared to start a back taxi maneuver on the active runway. The pilot stated he applied power, retracted the flaps and landing gear. During the retraction cycles, the pilot stated, the airplane was not accelerating. He stated the tachometer displayed 1,400 RPM and that the engine was not producing power.

The pilot said he turned toward a runway which was under construction because of insufficient altitude to land elsewhere. According to the pilot, during the turn to the closed runway the right wing collided with a mound of dirt adjacent to the runway. The airplane skidded to a stop with approximately 2/3rds of its right wing missing.

The on-scene investigation revealed the throttle linkage fork was not attached to the throttle arm of the fuel control. The bolt, nut, and cotter pin which secure the arm to the fork were not found during the investigation.

Aircraft

Registration
N4846V
Reported as
Bellanca BL-17-30
Category
Airplane
Serial number
30101
Engine
Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Karl E. Kingsley
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Airport
K84 · Lee'S Summit Municipal, runway 18, 3,200 × 60 ft, gravel

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
59
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
425 total · 128 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 72 °F
Observed at
GVW, 8 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.

Other investigations on N4846V · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.