- Date
- December 17, 1993, 12:35 local (19:35 UTC)
- Place
- Westcliffe, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5065GBellanca 8KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931217046959A
- Case key
- 18977
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
Was failure of the number two connecting rod bearing. A factor was unsuitable terrain for a 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
After being airborne for approximately 2 minutes, the pilot noticed smoke entering the cockpit. This was followed by seizure of the engine. The pilot conducted a forced landing in mountainous terrain and on touch down, the aircraft nosed over. The number two correcting rod bearing failed and the rod exited through the engine case.
Factual narrative
On December 17, 1993, at 1235 mountain standard time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, N5065G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing 10 miles south of Westcliffe, Colorado. The pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal flight which departed Custer County Airport with an intended destination of Fremont County Airport. No flight plan was filed.
According to the pilot, he had been airborne approximately 2 minutes and began getting smoke in the cockpit. The pilot said that the engine "stopped" and he was forced to land in mountainous terrain. During the landing, the left wing struck the ground first and the aircraft nosed over.
The engine was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector who found that the number two connecting rod bearing had failed and the rod had exited through the engine case.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5065G
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 597-80
- Airframe hours
- 2,792
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Burdick, Frank E.
- Registered owner
- Devon, Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1993 · 3 hours before
- Destination
- 1V6 · Fremont County, CO
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,585 total · 10 in this make and model · 1,585 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 1995, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 481 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.