- Date
- March 27, 1997, 18:25 local (Mar 28, 1997, 02:25 UTC)
- Place
- Oroville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N86851Bellanca 14-13
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report October 14, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970327047869A
- Case key
- 29752
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 loss of engine power due to connecting rod bolt failure. The reason for the bolt failure was not determined. A contributing factor was the presence of trees in the emergency landing path.
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
While cruising at 3,500 feet mean sea level, the engine suddenly began knocking and vibrating. Moments later, all engine power was lost. The pilot initiated a forced landing on a nearby road, but during the approach collided with a tree. An inspection of the engine revealed several holes in the upper portion of the case in the vicinity of the number 6 cylinder. Further examination revealed that both of the number 6 connecting rod bolts were broken and the rod cap was crushed and fragmented. The owner reported that the rod bolts had been in service for about 1,185 hours. The engine's total time was about 2,350 hours.
Factual narrative
On March 27, 1997, at 1825 hours Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 14-13, N86851, owned and operated by the pilot, experienced a loss of engine power while cruising at 3,500 feet mean sea level near Oroville, California. According to the pilot, the sequence of events started when his "perfect running engine" suddenly began knocking and vibrating. Moments later, all engine power was lost. The commercial pilot attempted to land on a nearby road. During the approach the airplane collided with a tree, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Redding, California, at 1750.
The pilot and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordinator inspected the airplane, manufactured in 1946, and the Franklin engine. The FAA reported observing several holes in the upper portion of the engine case in the vicinity of the number 6 cylinder. The largest hole was about 0.75 inches wide by 2.0 inches long. The FAA reported it appeared as though something was trying to get out from inside the engine.
An additional examination of the engine revealed that both of the number 6 connecting rod bolts were broken and the rod cap was crushed and fragmented. According to the owner, the rod bolts had been in service for about 1,185 hours. The engine's total time was about 2,350 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N86851
- Reported as
- Bellanca 14-13
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1213
- Airframe hours
- 2,345
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-150-B3, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas W. Cross
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 15, 1997 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- RDD · Redding, CA
- Destination
- AUN · Atwater, 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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,405 total · 1,550 in this make and model · 2,345 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.