# NTSB SEA08LA068: Bellanca 17-30A, N8794V, Mukilteo, WA, February 2, 2008

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 2, 2008, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place: Mukilteo, WA
- Coordinates: 47.898056, -122.286109
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.8981&lon=-122.2861&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report December 24, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 67456
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA08LA068
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67456/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA068

## Probable cause

Loss of engine power while on final approach for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was a power line.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Power plant](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 198 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md)
- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

While the pilot was on short-final for a touch-and-go landing, the airplane's engine lost all power. Because he was at such a low altitude, he did not have time to go through a complete restart procedure, so after switching fuel tanks, he aligned the airplane to land on a paved road that was under his approach path. While attempting to land on that road, the airplane clipped a power line and descended into the surface of the road. An inspection of the engine, fuel system, and air induction system did not reveal any system or component anomaly that would have prevented the engine from producing rated horsepower. Both the fuel tank that was selected prior to the power loss, and the fuel tank that was selected after the power loss contained sufficient fuel to maintain operation of the engine. Fuel was also found in the fuel manifold valve. The reason for the loss of power was not determined.

## Factual narrative

On February 2, 2008, about 1230 Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N8794V, collided with a power line during an attempted forced landing at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), Mukilteo, Washington. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of the airplane, received serious injuries, and the airplane, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed the same airport about 15 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot, the airplane's engine lost all power while he was on short-final for a touch-and-go landing. Because he was at such a low altitude, he did not have time to go through a complete restart procedure, so after switching fuel tanks, he aligned the airplane to land on a paved road that was under his approach path. While attempting to land on that road, the airplane clipped a power line near the edge of the road. After hitting the power line, the airplane rolled to a steep angle of bank, and descended into the surface of the road.

The engine, fuel system, and air induction system underwent a post-accident teardown inspection. That inspection did not reveal any system or component anomaly that would have prevented the engine from producing rated horsepower. In addition, both the fuel tank that was selected prior to the power loss, and the fuel tank that was selected after the power loss contained sufficient fuel to maintain operation of the engine. Fuel was also found in the fuel manifold valve, and the use of water detection paste determined that there was no water present in the valve.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8794V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8794V-2008-04-04), registration cancelled 2008-04-04, S/N 30320, built 1970 (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: 30320
- Airframe hours: 3155
- Engines: Continental IO-520-K1B 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Phillip D. Foshee, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2007
- Departed: KPAE, Mukilteo, WA
- Destination: KPAE
- Airport: KPAE, Paine Field, runway 34L, 9,010 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 532 total, 127 in this make and model, 418 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 20° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
- Observed at: KPAE, 2 nm away

## 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 20080202009989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080202009989A), Feb 2, 2008: Blanca 1730A, Mukilteo, WA, Destroyed. (-23) N8794V flown by the pilot [privacy data omitted] was on approach to runway 34L at paine field (pae). He reported to ATC he had a complete engine failure.…

## Other investigations on N8794V (1)

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.

- [NTSB ATL85LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL85LA030), Nov 8, 1984: Bellanca 17-30A (N8794V), Ariton, AL, substantial damage

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.

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