Pilot Debrief

Bellanca 17-30A near Morris, IL — 2013-02-16

Final reportCEN13LA164
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Date
2013-02-16
Location
Morris, IL, USA
Airport
C09
Aircraft
Bellanca 17-30A
Registration
N93747
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB narrative

The engine lost power as the airplane was turning onto the base leg in the traffic pattern. The pilot made a forced landing on a road about 4 miles south of the airport. During the landing roll, the airplane’s right wing struck a wooden road sign. The airplane swerved to the right, went off the road, and came to a stop in a plowed field. The day before the accident flight, the pilot fueled the airplane to capacity (79 gallons total of which 75 gallons were usable) and then flew 754 miles in 5 hours 46 minutes. The airplane was not refueled before the accident flight, which lasted 18 minutes 56 seconds. A postaccident examination showed no usable fuel in either wing tank. A download of data from the airplane's engine monitoring system showed a drop in fuel flow, manifold pressure, and oil pressure, consistent with fuel flow interruption, then fuel exhaustion. Fuel calculations performed after the accident suggested that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Refueling the aircraft after the previous flight could have prevented fuel exhaustion.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • FDR / data
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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