Bellanca 17 30A N4204B
18 December 2016 · Blaine, Minnesota, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 18 December 2016 at about 21:00 local time, a Bellanca 17 30A registered N4204B was involved in an accident near Blaine, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Blaine, Minnesota, United States
- Coordinates
- 45.1956, -93.1628
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17 30A
- Registration
- N4204B
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1974
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hibbing → Minneapolis
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN17LA058
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to a lack of crankshaft lubrication to the No. 4 connecting rod journal.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After dropping off two passengers on an extremely cold morning, the commercial pilot departed for the return flight home. During cruise flight at 2,500 ft mean sea level, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot restarted the engine; shortly thereafter, the engine lost power a second time. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a road, during which the left wing was damaged. An engine teardown revealed significant heat distress to the crankshaft No. 4 connecting rod journal, as well as the Nos. 3 and 4 connecting rod bearings. The heat distress resulted in fracture of the Nos. 3 and 4 connecting rod caps and subsequent seizure of the engine. The Nos. 1, 2, 5, and 6 connecting rod bearings exhibited overlay fatigue, dirt embedment and corrosion, consistent with inadequate oil lubrication. A review of the engine maintenance logbooks revealed a history of oil changes at inconsistent intervals, which included much longer intervals than those recommended by the manufacturer; however, the effect of the inconsistent maintenance could not be determined based on the available information.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bellanca 17 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 2016 | Bellanca 17-30A | Overbrook, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 2016 | Bellanca 17-31A | Mc Alester, Oklahoma, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 2016 | Bellanca 17 30 | Burnet, Texas, United States | Eclipse Acquisitions LLC. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 2016 | Bellanca 17 30 | Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jun 2016 | Bellanca 17 30 | Westport, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Bellanca 17-30A | Carson City, Nevada, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug 2016 | Cessna 152 | Belle Plaine, Minnesota, United States | Inflight Holdings LLC. | No injuries | - |
| 20 Dec 2016 | Cessna 210 | Longville, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Apr 2016 | Tl Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS | South St. Paul, Minnesota, United States | Air Associates of Missouri | No injuries | - |
| 23 Dec 2016 | Cessna 150 | Warren, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 2016 | Cessna 170A | Hibbing, Minnesota, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 2016 | Bell 47G | Hastings, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |