- Date
- October 14, 1991, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Big Spring, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9755EBellanca 17-31
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911014045919A
- Case key
- 18400
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 complete loss of engine power due to a failed piston rod. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
During a dusk departure, the pilot experienced a complete loss of engine power due to an internal mechanical failure. The altitude at the time of failure was less than three hundred feet and terrain available for landing was unsuitable. The pilot landed straight ahead into the only clearing available; however, the wing stuck a tree resulting in loss of control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9755E
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-31
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 76-31121
- Airframe hours
- 1,200
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thomas C. Miller
- Registered owner
- Thomas C. Miller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 1991 · 194 hours before
- Destination
- KMAF · Midland, TX
- Airport
- 21XS · Mc Mahon Wrinkle, runway 35, 8,803 × 100 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
- 72
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 2,100 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 80° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.