- Date
- September 1, 2005, 10:27 local (17:27 UTC)
- Place
- Malibu, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2686ZBellanca 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050901027229A
- Case key
- 62377
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
a partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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 experienced a partial loss of engine power and the pilot ditched in the ocean. While en route over the ocean on a fish-spotting mission, the pilot noticed a decrease in engine power. The pilot's scan of the cockpit gauges revealed no anomalies, with the exception of a slight rise in oil temperature. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane toward land, the oil temperature continued to rise and he heard a loud "bang" followed by a vibration. Engine oil began to cover the windshield and the airplane continued to lose altitude. With the engine still running, the pilot ditched the airplane in the ocean about 5 miles from the coastline. The airplane sank to the ocean floor, about 1,200 feet underwater.
Factual narrative
On September 1, 2005 at 1027 Pacific daylight time, a Bellanca 7ECA, N2686Z, experienced a partial loss of engine power and ditched in the ocean near Malibu, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local area flight originated from Camarillo Airport, Camarillo, California, about 1000, and was engaged in fish-spotting operations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that after departing from Camarillo, he maneuvered the airplane on a southwesterly heading toward Catalina Island. While en route over the ocean, about 25 miles from the airport, he noticed a decrease in engine power. A scan of the cockpit gauges revealed no anomalies with the exception of a slight rise in oil temperature. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane toward land, the oil temperature continued to rise, indicating about 220 to 230 degrees Fahrenheit; the oil pressure gauge indicated about 60 pounds. While still continuing toward land, the pilot heard a loud "bang" coming from the engine and felt a vibration. Engine oil began to cover the windshield and the airplane continued to lose altitude. With the engine still running, the pilot ditched the airplane in the ocean about 5 miles from the Malibu coastline.
The airplane sank to the ocean floor, about 1,200 feet underwater.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2686Z
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1229-78
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
- Destination
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
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
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 4,450 in this make and model · 288 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.