- Date
- July 29, 1994, 09:21 local (14:21 UTC)
- Place
- Waterford, MI
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N93572Bellanca 17-30
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 26, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940729019919A
- Case key
- 9612
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
undetermined.
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.
Analysis
On initial VFR climbout the engine ran rough then lost power. The pilot reported that during the descent he attempted to switch fuel tanks but does not remember his exact procedures. The airplane impacted in a lake. Post accident examination revealed the fuel selector valve set to an intermediate position between the left and right fuel tanks, and only a few teaspoons of fuel in the fuel lines between the fuel selector valve and the fuel injector nozzles. All accessories operated normally and the engine ran on a test stand.
Factual narrative
On July 29, 1994, at 0921 hours central daylight time, a Bellanca BL-17-30, N93572, operated as a personal aircraft by Wooden Airplane Company of Southfield, Michigan, impacted water in a lake in Waterford, Michigan. The airplane was substantially damaged, the private pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident. The airplane was departing on an instrument flight plan to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and impacted one half mile west of the departure end of runway 27R from Oakland-Pontiac Airport, Pontiac, Michigan.
The pilot reported that during the initial climbout the engine began to run rough and lost power. He reported attempting to switch fuel tanks, but could not remember his exact actions. The impact ruptured both wing fuel cells. The fuel lines to the engine remained intact. Postaccident examination revealed less than 1 ounce of fuel in the fuel lines from the selector valve to the strainer, and the strainer to the engine driven and electric pumps. An internal examination of the fuel selector valve revealed that the port from the right tank was half open.
Both pumps were bench operated and discharged fuel once primed. Inspection of the magnetos, plugs, and induction system revealed no discrepancies. The propeller was pulled through and the accessories turned with no binding. The engine was run on a test stand with normal magneto checks and the propeller responded normally to the pitch control. The engine was run up to 1600 RPM with no anomalies. At that point acceleration was stopped due to vibration from bent propeller blades. Shut down was normal using the mixture control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93572
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 74-30692
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-K, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wooden Airplane Company
- Registered owner
- Wooden Airplane Company
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 15, 1993
- Departed
- PTK · Pontiac, MI
- Destination
- OSH · Oshkosh, WI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PTK · Oakland-Pontiac Airport, runway 27R, 6,200 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 956 total · 130 in this make and model · 745 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PTK, 1 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.