# NTSB MIA97LA023: Bellanca 17-30A, N86DR, Brunswick, GA, November 9, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 9, 1996, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Brunswick, GA - Coordinates: 31.150562, -81.479774 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.1506&lon=-81.4798&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 2, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38176 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97LA023 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38176/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA023 ## Probable cause a complete loss of engine power as a result of piston failure, oil starvation, and the subsequent forced landing in unsuitable terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - engine assembly,piston - failure (cause) - fluid,oil - starvation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - swampy - terrain condition - none suitable (cause) ## Analysis About 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot felt a 'momentary shudder' from the engine. He checked the gauges and said all the instruments were in the 'green.' When he rechecked the instruments a short time later he noticed that the oil pressure 'had gone to zero.' The pilot advised ATC that his engine had lost power and he was going to attempt to land at an airport. The pilot could not make the airport, and elected to land in a salt marsh north of the airport. The engine teardown reveled that the No. 5 piston had a hole in the piston skirt, resulting in the oil being pushed overboard, oil starvation, and the subsequent complete loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On November 9, 1996, about 1400 eastern standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N86DR, registered to a private owner, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91, personal flight, impacted in swampy terrain, during a forced landing, and crashed near Brunswick, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot, and two passengers were not injured. One passenger received serious injuries. According to the pilot's statement, he had departed Savannah, Georgia, en route to Kissimmee, Florida, and had climbed to 6,000 feet. About 30 minutes into the flight, he felt a "momentary shudder" from the engine. He checked the gauges and said all the instruments were in the "green." When he rechecked the instruments a short time later he noticed that the oil pressure "had gone to zero." The pilot advised ATC that his engine had lost power and he was going to attempt to land at the Glynn-Co Airport. The pilot could not make the airport, and elected to land in a salt marsh north of the airport. The engine was torn down on December 5, 1996, at the facilities of Atlanta Air Salvage, Griffin, Georgia. The teardown reveled that the No. 5 piston had a hole in the piston skirt, resulting in the oil being pushed overboard, oil starvation, and the subsequent complete loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N86DR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N86DR-2017-06-01), registration cancelled 2017-06-01, S/N 74-30690, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 17-30A - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 74-30690 - Airframe hours: 1775 - Engines: Continental IO-520K1B 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: David F. St. Clair - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 2, 1996, 80 hours before - Departed: SAV, SAVANNAH, GA - Destination: ISM, ORLANDO, FL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 464 total, 73 in this make and model, 431 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 17 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19961109035089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961109035089A), Nov 9, 1996: Blanca 1730A, Brunswick, GA, Substantial damage. Aircraft experienced engine problems and crashed into a salt water marsh. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.