Palo Alto Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palo Alto, California 94303
Friday, September 29, 1989 14:53 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF THE FLIGHT REMAINED IN A CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN. ON TURN TO FINAL THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A BAY SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. NO FUEL WAS FOUND FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL. THE FUEL STRAINER AT THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT CONTAINED SMALL DARK PARTICLES. EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP REVEALED THAT THE VANES HAD DAMAGE AND SEVERELY RESTRICTED THE FLOW OF FUEL. THE MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP WAS OKAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE FUEL STARVATION WAS THE RESULT OF VANE PARTICLES FROM THE DETERIORATED ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP RESTRICTING THE UPSTREAM FLOW OF FUEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1453
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PALO ALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94303
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALO ALTO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PAO
Elevation of weather observation facility 5
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1887
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1505
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40975
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8272R
NTSB Number LAX89LA333
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 30465
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 14 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 1508
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LINDA KAY KLOUDA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2195 DIVISADERO ST
Aircraft Owner City SAN FRANCISCO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94115
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KLOUDA, LINDA K.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2195 DIVISADERO ST.
Operator City SAN FRANCISCO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94115
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1448
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --