# NTSB WPR21LA315: Bellanca 14-19-3, N1257R, Whitefish, MT, August 10, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 10, 2021, 09:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: Whitefish, MT · open field short of runway - Coordinates: 48.40802, -114.29957 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4080&lon=-114.2996&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 103692 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA315 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103692/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103692 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA315 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to accomplish a preflight inspection. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=3080106), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=3080106), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=3080106), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/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); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19-3, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=3080106), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=3080106), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19-3, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=3080106), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19-3, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3080106), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, at the request of the airplane owner, he was going to reposition the airplane to another airport for an annual inspection. As a precaution, the pilot wanted to fly around the airport traffic pattern to refamiliarize himself with the airplane. The pilot reported that when he arrived at the hangar, the owner stated that the airplane was “ready to go” and that 25 gallons of fuel had been added to the right fuel tank. They departed for a flight around the pattern and were on the crosswind leg when the engine lost power; he adjusted the throttle, mixture, and engaged the boost pump, and the engine started. They continued with the landing sequence, and on the base leg, the engine lost power again. The pilot did not believe the airplane was going to make the runway and elected to land straight ahead in a grassy field. During the landing roll out, the airplane impacted a dirt berm and slid sideways before it came to rest upright. After they exited the airplane, the pilot checked the right fuel tank and noted it was empty. The airplane was inspected at the accident site by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, and it was determined that the right fuel tank was empty, and the left fuel tank was nearly full. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1257R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1257R), registered now, S/N 4325, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 14-19-3 - Registry model: [Bellanca 14-19-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-14-19-3) (registry code 3080106) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4325 - Year built: 1966 - Engines: Continental IO-470 SER 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 58S, Whitefish - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 12, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 1,420 total, 1 in this make and model, 1,369 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days - Pilot-rated passenger; age 78; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: KGPI, 6 nm away - METAR: METAR KGPI 101555Z 15011KT 10SM CLR 21/12 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP147 T02110117= ## 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 20210810014199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210810014199A), Aug 10, 2021: Bellanca 14-19-3, Whitefish, MT, Substantial damage. Pilot had received a request[privacy data omitted] to fly the aircraft to polson. [privacy data omitted]. The [privacy data omitted] requested the pilot fly… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 19, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103692. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13830010&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Summary of findings (FAA) (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12756413&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Summary%20of%20Findings%20(FAA)-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 629 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13784447&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photo-Rel.pdf 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.