- Date
- December 20, 1997, 10:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Truckee, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5058LBellanca 8KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971220045269A
- Case key
- 30012
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
internal mechanical failure of the engine due to a progressive failure of the No. 3 connecting rod assembly. A contributing factor was the snow pack which covered the only accessible emergency landing area.
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 aircraft was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a snow covered field due to a total loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb. During a teardown inspection of the engine, it was noted that the number 3 connecting rod assembly had undergone a progressive failure.
Factual narrative
On December 20, 1997, at 1015 hours Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, N5058L, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing on a snow covered field 3 statute miles northeast of Truckee, California. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The pilot stated that the engine started to run rough during the climb and then stopped suddenly with the propeller in a horizontal position. Several restart attempts were unsuccessful. The flight departed the Truckee-Tahoe Airport on a personal flight to Smith Ranch, Marinwood, California, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who investigated the accident site stated that he observed a considerable amount of engine oil on the underside of the engine, the belly of the aircraft, and the engine compartment firewall. He also stated that after righting the aircraft it was noted that the engine could not be rotated in either direction due to an apparent internal mechanical restriction.
A teardown inspection of the engine was performed at the owner's maintenance base. The FAA inspectors who witnessed the inspection reported that the number 3 rod assembly had experienced a progressive failure. (See attached FAA Report of Engine Inspection.)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5058L
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 558-79
- Airframe hours
- 4,306
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360-HIA, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John C. Nickel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 1997 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- TRK · CA
- Destination
- CA35 · Marinwood, CA
- Airport
- TRK · Truckee-Tahoe
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 601 total · 107 in this make and model · 560 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 4 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
- 19 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.