# NTSB ERA10LA101: Bellanca 7GCBC, N8634V, St. Petersburg, FL, December 24, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 24, 2009, 12:50 local (17:50 UTC) - Place: St. Petersburg, FL - Coordinates: 27.723611, -82.665557 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7236&lon=-82.6656&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 13, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 75200 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10LA101 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75200/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA101 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis While returning from a 50-minute banner towing flight, the airplane's engine began losing power. The pilot determined that the airplane would be unable to reach the destination airport and elected to perform a forced landing to a golf course. He decided not to detach the banner the airplane was towing, partly out of concern for persons and property on the ground, and partly so that it could act as a drag device during the subsequent off-airport landing. During the landing, when the pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid several golfers standing in the airplane's path during rollout, the right wing struck a tree resulting in substantial damage. A brief postaccident test run of the engine showed no evidence of any mechanical abnormalities. Temperature and dewpoint conditions at the time of the accident were favorable to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power settings. ## Factual narrative On December 24, 2009, about 1250 eastern standard time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N8634V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near St. Petersburg, Florida. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local banner-tow flight, which originated at Albert Whitted Airport (SPG), St. Petersburg, Florida, about 1200. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to a written statement submitted by the pilot, about 50 minutes into the flight, he was returning to SPG from the southwest. The airplane's engine "missed a few beats," so the pilot climbed the airplane to 1,000 feet, while the engine's performance continued to deteriorate. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the problem by adjusting the mixture control, testing the magnetos, and applying carburetor heat, all to no avail. About 6 miles from the destination, the pilot determined that the airplane would not be able to reach the airport, with or without the banner in-tow. The pilot then decided not to drop the banner, in order to avoid injuries to persons and property on the ground, and so that it could act as a drag device during the subsequent off-airport landing. The pilot selected a golf course fairway and successfully landed the airplane. During the rollout, several golfers were standing on a tee in the airplane's path, but did not see the airplane coming toward them. The pilot deviated to the right, and the right wing subsequently contacted a tree resulting in substantial damage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane following the accident. A test run of the engine was conducted, and the engine was run for about 45 seconds with no anomalies noted. The inspector then removed the carburetor and checked for contamination of the screen and bowl with none noted. The inspector also confirmed the function of the carburetor float mechanism. The FAA inspector also examined the airplane's maintenance records and noted that the airplane was manufactured in 1975, and both the airframe and engine had accumulated 1,854 total hours of operation since that date. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on March 20, 2009. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. He reported approximately 3,800 total hours of flight experience, 3.3 hours of which were in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent second-class FAA medical certificate was issued on July 14, 2009. The weather reported at SPG, at 1253, included clear skies, 10 statute miles visibility, winds from 120 degrees at 15 knots, temperature 22 degrees Celsius (C), dewpoint 14 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury. According to FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, the temperature and dewpointabout the time of the accident were favorable for the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8634V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8634V), registered now, S/N 814-75, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7GCBC - Registry model: [Bellanca 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc) (registry code 1220601) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 814-75 - Airframe hours: 1854 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Biplane Rides Inc. - Registered owner: Biplane Rides Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, March 20, 2009, 17 hours before - Departed: SPG, St. Petersburg, FL - Destination: SPG, St. Petersburg, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 20, 2008; seat: front; flight hours: 3,800 total, 3 in this make and model, 3,766 as pilot in command, 65 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: SPG, 3 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 20091224053439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091224053439A), Dec 24, 2009: Bellanca 7GCBC, St. Petersburg, FL, Substantial damage. Aircraft N8634V experienced loss of engine power while conducting banner tow operations for tom hurly biplane rides, certificate number (HTBJ1356. The pilot in… 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.