Bellanca 7GCAA N8733V

Summary

On 8 July 2012 at about 17:00 local time, a Bellanca 7GCAA registered N8733V, operated by Jeffrey G. Morgan, was involved in an accident near Bedford, Indiana, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 July 2012 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Bedford, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Virgil I. Grissom Municipal (KBFR)

Coordinates

38.8372, -86.4406

Aircraft

Bellanca 7GCAA

Registration

N8733V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jeffrey G. Morgan

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lincoln → Bedford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA424

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-induced pressure to return home.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a 2-hour cross-country flight with the airplane's fuel tanks full. While at his destination airport, the pilot, who was a physician, received word that a patient was in critical condition and that he needed to return as soon as possible. The pilot stated that the fuel gauges indicated over half full; he departed on the return flight without refueling the airplane. During the return flight, the pilot had to divert around weather and noticed that the fuel gauges were registering considerably less than previously noted. He altered course to a nearby airport. Shortly thereafter, the engine sputtered and lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot made a forced landing in a rough field, and the airplane nosed over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.