# NTSB DEN99LA151: Bellanca 17-30A, N4148B, Albuquerque, NM, August 18, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 18, 1999, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.060829, -106.619857 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0608&lon=-106.6199&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 13, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47080 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA151 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47080/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA151 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to follow published procedures in operating the aircraft. A factor was partial failure of the electrical system. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - electrical system - failure,partial (contributing factor) - procedures/directives - not complied with, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis While on a positioning flight from one local airport to another, the aircraft developed an electrical discrepancy and the pilot elected to shut down the electrical system via the master switch. During the subsequent precautionary landing, the electrically actuated hydraulically operated landing gear remained up despite the pilot's activation of the landing gear switch to the gear down position. The aircraft slid to a stop following the gear up landing and was destroyed by post landing fire. The pilot exited the aircraft and was not injured. ## Factual narrative On August 18, 1999, at 0800 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N4148B, was destroyed by fire following a wheels up landing at Albuquerque International Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico (ABQ). The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was a positioning flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Coronado Airport in Albuquerque, at 0745. According to the pilot, he had an electrical failure following his departure from Coronado Airport, which is approximately 15 miles north of Albuquerque International Airport. He said that prior to shutting down the electrical system via the master switch to conserve the battery, he received clearance from ABQ to land on runway 08 while on final approach. The pilot related that he secured the electrical master switch and lowered the landing gear switch. He said that since the electrical master switch was off he could not confirm the landing gear was down via the landing gear position indicator, and landed with the landing gear in the retracted position. Information supplied by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who went to the scene, provided information that the aircraft slid to a stop to the west of runway 8 and a post landing fire destroyed the aircraft after the pilot exited. The aircraft information and operations manual provides information that the landing gear switch allows the pilot to raise and lower the landing gear through an electrically actuated hydraulically operated system. In the event of a total electrical failure, the landing gear can be lowered by manually relieving the hydraulic pressure and allowing the landing gear to free fall to the down and locked position. Without electrical power, the landing gear switch is inert. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4148B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4148B-2000-06-22), registration cancelled 2000-06-22, S/N 75-30751 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 17-30A - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 75-30751 - Airframe hours: 2243 - Engines: Continental IO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: Charles F. Champlin - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 26, 1999, 25 hours before - Departed: 4AC, NM - Destination: ABQ, NM - Airport: ABQ, Albuquerque International, runway 8, 13,775 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 835 total, 125 in this make and model, 835 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ABQ ## 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 19990818012659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990818012659A), Aug 18, 1999: Blanca 1730A, Albuquerque, NM, Destroyed. Acft crashed under unknown circumstances and sustained substantial damage. (.19) on August 18, 1999, at 0800 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N4148B,… 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.