Bellanca 17 30 N39819

Summary

On 21 January 2017 at about 19:45 local time, a Bellanca 17 30 registered N39819 was involved in an accident near Kidron, Ohio, 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.

Date

21 January 2017 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Kidron, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

40.7447, -81.7647

Aircraft

Bellanca 17 30

Registration

N39819

Category

Airplane

Year built

1972

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Medina → Medina

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN17LA081

Nobody was injured.

Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the vacuum pump, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and the subsequent total loss of engine power due to oil starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot was conducting a local flight and had been airborne for about 40 minutes when he heard a "bang;" the engine then began to shake and experienced a total loss of power. The pilot conducted a forced landing, and the airplane impacted a stand of pine trees before coming to rest. An onsite examination of the airplane found oil on the underside of the airframe and the back of the engine, with no oil showing on the dipstick. Additionally, the nuts securing the engine vacuum pump appeared loose. Disassembly of the engine found only a small amount of oil in the engine sump as well as numerous metal pieces. The crankshaft No. 5 rod journal exhibited heat damage, and the connecting rod had separated from the journal, consistent with the lack of oil lubrication. A review of the engine's maintenance records revealed that the engine had accumulated about 263 hours since overhaul. The records also indicated the vacuum pump was replaced and had accumulated 1.19 hours at the time of the accident. The accident is consistent with the loss of engine oil from the vacuum pump drive, likely as a result of maintenance personnel improperly securing the vacuum pump following replacement.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.