- Date
- March 19, 1992, 09:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- Eugene, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8266RBellanca 17-31A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920319006889A
- Case key
- 41644
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
An improper fuel boost pump selector position, and incorrect procedures. Factors include an improper fuel tank selector position, and fuel starvation.
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 of the Bellanca 17-31A was on final approach when the engine lost all power and the fuel pressure went to zero. At that time he was burning fuel out of the left auxiliary tank (the flight manual directs pilots to use only the main tanks for takeoff and landing, and says to use the auxiliary tanks in level flight only). He tried to restart the engine by switching to one of the main tanks. When this was not successful he then switched to the other main tank. When the engine would not restart, he landed in an open field, but flipped over on landing roll after hitting a ditch. The pilot did not activate the auxiliary fuel pump as called for by the flight manual when attempting to restart the engine after the fuel pressure is lost.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8266R
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-31A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-77
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1E5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Bash, Gail S.
- Registered owner
- Bash, Gail S.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 29, 1991
- Departed
- TTD · Portland, OR
- Destination
- EUG · Eugene, OR
- Airport
- EUG · Mahlon Sweet Field, runway 16, 6,202 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 357 total · 109 in this make and model · 357 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.