Bellanca 14-9 N25310

Summary

On 20 July 1994 at about 18:07 local time, a Bellanca 14-9 registered N25310 was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 July 1994 at 18:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeland, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.9795, -82.0096

Aircraft

Bellanca 14-9

Registration

N25310

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA94FA181

1 person was seriously injured.

THE IMPROPER MODIFICATION OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP MECHANICAL ARM BY AN UNKNOWN PERSON, RESTRICTING THE FUEL SYSTEMS ABILITY TO SUPPLY FUEL TO THE ENGINE AT FULL POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT BETWEEN 100 TO 300 FEET AGL, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WIRES AND CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP REVEALED AN IMPROPER ALTERATION OF THE OPERATING ARM IN ITS ATTACHMENT TO THE PUMP DIAPHRAGM MECHANISM BY AN UNKNOWN PERSON. THE ALTERATION LIMITED THE TRAVEL OF THE OPERATING ARM, RESTRICTING THE FUEL SYSTEMS ABILITY TO SUPPLY FUEL TO THE ENGINE AT FULL POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.