- Date
- January 31, 1997, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6638VBellanca 17-30A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 2, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970131001129A
- Case key
- 29722
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
fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's improper fuel management.
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 pilot contacted the FAA control tower while on approach to his destination and was advised to report on a long right base for runway 21. The pilot reported about 4 miles from the airport the engine suddenly dropped to idle, it did not quit, and the throttle had no effect on the rpm. He stated that he immediately looked at the fuel gauge and noticed approximately 1/4 tank. He tried switching tanks, but could not get a restart or increase from idle. According to FAA inspectors, the fuel selector was found on the left outboard fuel tank and the outboard fuel tanks were found empty.
Factual narrative
On January 31, 1997, about 1300 hours mountain standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N6638V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Scottsdale, Arizona. The pilot and his passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at North Las Vegas, Nevada, at 1015.
The pilot contacted the Scottsdale Air Traffic Control Tower and was advised to enter a right base leg for runway 21. The pilot stated that when he was about 4 miles from the airport at 2,500 feet msl, the engine suddenly dropped to idle, it did not quit, and the throttle had no effect on the rpm. He stated that he immediately noticed approximately 1/4 tank of fuel and tried switching tanks, but could not get a restart or increase from idle.
According to FAA inspectors, the fuel selector was found on the left outboard fuel tank. Both outboard fuel tanks were found to be empty.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6638V
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-30A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30303
- Airframe hours
- 2,430
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lawrence Packer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 7, 1996 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- VGT · North Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- SDL · AZ
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 716 total · 153 in this make and model · 631 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KSD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.