Bellanca Citabria 7ECA N57388

Summary

On 30 October 2004 at about 21:30 local time, a Bellanca Citabria 7ECA registered N57388, operated by Daniel B. Muckenfuss, was involved in an accident near Summerville, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 October 2004 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Summerville, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Summerville Airport (DYB)

Coordinates

33.0633, -80.2794

Aircraft

Bellanca Citabria 7ECA

Registration

N57388

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Daniel B. Muckenfuss

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Summerville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL05LA018

2 people died.

The loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot performed an engine run-up and then departed from runway 24. The takeoff appeared and sounded to be normal. The airplane reached approximately 400 feet above the ground, beyond the end of the runway and witnesses no longer heard engine noise or saw the propeller turning. The airplane entered a steep left turn toward runway 06 and disappeared below the tree line. Witnesses heard the engine start back up and then heard the airplane collide with the ground. Examination of the accident site revealed the airplane came to rest south of the approach end of runway 06, 40 feet to the left of the taxiway, next to a retention pond. Both wings were detached from the fuselage. The right tank had 4 gallons of fuel and the left tank was full. Continuity of the flight control system was established. The engine was recovered from the accident site and further examination disclosed both magnetos produced a spark through the leads during engine rotation. Engine continuity was confirmed and all four cylinders produced compression. The engine ran for over two minutes at 1750 RPM. The post-accident examination of the airframe and subsystems failed to disclose a mechanical problems or component failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.