- Date
- July 11, 1990, 19:40 local (Jul 12, 1990, 00:40 UTC)
- Place
- Denton, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N39870Bellanca 17-31ATC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900711025279A
- Case key
- 23156
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
The pilot failures to properly in stall a oil line which resulted in a complete loss of engine power after the oil supply was exhausted.
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
The airplane was departing the airport for a cross country flight when a partial power loss occurred. The pilot decided to return to the airport. A total power loss occurred and a forced landing resulted. During the emergency descent, the airplane collided with trees and a utility pole. The airplane descended uncontrolled to impact the terrain. The loss of power was due to the improper installation of a oil line by the pilot during an oil change that he performed. The engine oil was exhausted from the system when it was pressurized.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39870
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-31ATC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 73-31049
- Airframe hours
- 1,847
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1E5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert J. Hutchinson
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 8, 1990 · 76 hours before
- Departed
- DTO
- Destination
- SHV · Shreveport, LA
- Airport
- DTO · Denton Muni, runway 17, 5,000 × 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,643 total · 761 in this make and model · 2,643 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTW, 15 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.