SAN DIEGO, CA, USA
N53917
BELLANCA 8GCBC
AS THE PLT WAS COMPLETING A BANNER TOWING OPN, HE APPLIED PWR TO CLIMB FROM 500' TO 1500' TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. AS HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, THEN LOST PWR. HE SAID THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE & HE RELEASED THE BANNER. HE STEERED THE ACFT AWAY FROM SURFERS & DITCHED IT IN ROUGH WATER. THE ACFT & ENG WERE BADLY DAMAGED BY THE HVY SURF & SALT WATER. THE ENG WAS EVENTUALLY RECOVERED, EXAMINED & TORN DOWN. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND, EXCEPT THE ENG DRIVEN OIL PUMP HOUSING & IMPELLERS SHOWED SIGNS OF FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE. A WITNESS HAD TAKEN A PHOTO OF THE THE ACFT BEFORE IT WAS DITCHED. THE PHOTO SHOWED A HVY TRAIL OF SMOKE (BELIEVED TO BE FROM OIL) COMING FROM THE ACFT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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