RIVERDALE, MD, USA
N14781
BELLANCA 17-30A
AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 400 FEET AFTER DEPARTURE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY THE PILOT STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AND IT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL CRASHING INTO TREES AND THE GROUND. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF UNCONTAMINATED WATER IN THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLE. EXAMINATION OF DRAIN PLUGS IN THE LEFT WING FUEL TANKS AND FUEL SELECTOR VALVE REVEALED THE PLUGS TO BE RUSTED AND DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. THE AIRCRAFT SAT FROM AUGUST 1985 TO FEBRUARY 1986, OUTSIDE, WITH ONLY HALF FULL FUEL TANKS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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