BELLANCA 17 30A
Santa Rosa, NM — February 25, 2014
Event Information
| Date | February 25, 2014 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN14CA151 |
| Event ID | 20140227X64144 |
| Location | Santa Rosa, NM |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 34.92083, -104.34055 |
| Airport | SANTA ROSA ROUTE 66 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | BELLANCA |
| Model | 17 30A |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | Unk |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel supply which resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent emergency landing.
Full Narrative
The airplane was cruising at 8,500 feet when the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot switched the fuel selector from the auxiliary tank to the left main fuel tank. During the transition, the engine experienced another loss of power. The pilot was unable to restore the power so he shut down the engine and made a forced landing on a road. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the right side of the road and struck a post, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that he exhausted the entire fuel supply in the auxiliary fuel tank. An examination of the wreckage by the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the auxiliary tank did not contain any fuel. The right and left fuel tanks contained 4.5 and 20 gallons respectively.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.