BELLANCA 7ECA
La Porte, TX — October 30, 2021
Event Information
| Date | October 30, 2021 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN22LA027 |
| Event ID | 20211105104205 |
| Location | La Porte, TX |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 29.66925, -95.06419 |
| Airport | LA PORTE MUNI |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | BELLANCA |
| Model | 7ECA |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the carburetor float assembly.
Full Narrative
On October 30, 2021, about 1437 central daylight time, a Bellanca 7ECA airplane, N86612, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near LaPorte, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported that, while operating in the airport traffic pattern, the engine lost power and did not respond after he applied full throttle and carburetor heat. The pilot performed a forced landing during which the airplane impacted fence poles, which resulted in damage to both wings.
Examination of the airplane revealed that when the fuel valve was turned on, fuel ran continuously through the carburetor and out of the bottom of the engine. The carburetor was removed and shipped to a repair facility, where it was determined that a pontoon had detached from the carburetor’s float assembly arm. Without a pontoon attached to the float assembly arm, excess fuel/flooding was possible in the float chamber.
The detached pontoon was an older brass style that was subject to service bulletins for replacement due to a history of mechanical failures.
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.