# NTSB GAA15CA209: Bellanca 17 30A, N93582, Tallahassee, FL, July 30, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 30, 2015, 02:00 local (06:00 UTC) - Place: Tallahassee, FL - Coordinates: 30.409444, -84.353057 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4094&lon=-84.3531&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA Tampa FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91697 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA209 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91697/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91697 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA209 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a forced landing on a road where the left wing impacted vegetation and sustained substantial damage. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while on a cross county flight, "it appears that I ran out of fuel and was forced to land on a road nearby and adjacent to the approach end of an active runway." During the landing roll, the left wing impacted a bush, and the airplane departed the road to the left into a ditch. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that while on a cross county flight, "it appears that I ran out of fuel and was forced to land on a road nearby and adjacent to the approach end of an active runway." During the landing roll, the left wing impacted a bush, and the airplane departed the road to the left into a ditch. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N93582](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N93582-2018-06-26), registration cancelled 2018-06-26, S/N 74-30639, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17 30A (A) - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 74-30639 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 3026 - Engines: Continental IO-520K 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Rush Inc - Registered owner: Rush Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 28, 2014 - Departed: F44, ATHENS, TX - Destination: 2J9, QUINCY, FL - Airport: TLH, Tallahassee Intl - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 17, 2013; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 736 total, 8 in this make and model, 736 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 250° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KTLH, 1 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 20150730017019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150730017019A), Jul 30, 2015: Bellanca 17-30A, Tallahassee, FL, Substantial damage. On July 30, 2015 at approximately 2:30 EDT, N93582, a Bellanca 17-30A, lost power while on approach to the Tallahassee, FL airport. The aircraft was landed on… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91697. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431819&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Left Wing (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 154 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431820&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Left%20Wing-Master.PDF 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.