- Date
- November 13, 2006, 11:02 local (16:02 UTC)
- Place
- Lantana, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6663VBellanca BL-17-30
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20061113023779A
- Case key
- 64873
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
The pilot's improper preflight planning/decision which resulted in total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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 stated that about 3/4 mile on final approach the engine ceased operating. After switching fuel tanks he said he tried to restart the engine, but the engine would not restart. He said he focused on flying the airplane, and as the airplane descended it impacted "trees, power lines, and left a wheel in the roof of a house." An FAA inspector responded to the scene of the accident and performed a detailed examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, no anomalies were noted with the airplane's fuel, electrical and induction systems, and about 6 to 8 ounces of auto fuel was found in the right fuel tank. No additional fuel was found in the airplane, or at the accident scene. In addition, the inspector stated that the airplane did not have a supplemental type certificate to permit the use of automobile fuel, and that the airplane had last received an annual inspection on January 1, 1984. The inspector also stated that the pilot, who was not an FAA certificated mechanic, stated that he performed all of the maintenance on the airplane. The pilot stated that he last completed a flight review in 1996. In addition, the pilot's last medical examination was dated June 23, 1996, and a review of FAA records showed that his license was suspended on November 8, 1996.
Factual narrative
On November 13, 2006, about 1102 eastern standard time, an unregistered Bellanca BL-17-30 airplane, N6663V, owned and piloted by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in Lantana, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The non-rated pilot received minor injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Palm Beach County Park Airport, Lantana, Florida, the same day, about 1030.
The pilot stated that after his preflight inspection he performed a takeoff and full stop landing on runway 33. He further stated that he then taxied to the threshold of runway 33 and took off again. He said that he climbed to 800 feet, and turned west, and after about 5 miles he turned around and headed east. He said he entered the traffic pattern for runway 33, flew downwind, base, and final, and after flying about 3/4 mile on final approach the engine ceased operating. After switching tanks he said he tried to restart the engine, but the engine would not restart. He said he focused on flying the airplane, and as the airplane descended it impacted "trees, power lines, and left a wheel in the roof of a house."
An FAA inspector responded to the scene of the accident and performed a detailed examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, no anomalies were noted with the airplanes fuel, electrical and induction systems, and about 6 to 8 ounces of auto fuel was found in the right fuel tank. No additional fuel was found in the airplane, or at the accident scene. . In addition, the inspector stated that the airplane did not have a supplemental type certificate to permit the use of automobile fuel, and that the airplane had last received an annual inspection on January 1, 1984. The inspector also stated that the pilot, who was not an FAA certificated mechanic, stated that he performed all his own maintenance on the airplane.
According to the FAA inspector, the pilot stated that he last completed a flight review in 1996. In addition, the pilot's last medical examination was dated June 23, 1996, and a review of FAA records showed that his license was suspended on November 8, 1996.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6663V
- Reported as
- Bellanca BL-17-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30040
- Airframe hours
- 2,314
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Allan Roderic Shultz
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 1984 · 484 hours before
- Departed
- LNA · Lantana, FL
- Destination
- LNA
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
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.