Gateville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gatesville, Texas 76528
Wednesday, July 17, 1985 18:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE AFTER EXECUTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING AN INFLIGHT FIRE AND ENG FAILURE. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLT SMELLED ELECTRICAL INSULATION OVERHEATING AND NOTICED A DECREASE IN FUEL PRESSURE. FIRE BROKE OUT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENG COWL. THE ACFT WAS LANDED HARD DUE TO RESTRICTED VISIBIITY FROM SMOKE ENTERING THE COCKPIT. SUSPECT THAT THE SEAL ON THE ENG MOUNTED FUEL PUMP FAILED ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE PUMP HOUSING FIRE DAMAGE TO THE PUMP PRECLUDED EXACT IDENTIFICATION OF THE FAILURE MODE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1810
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GATESVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76528
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GATEVILLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 05F
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 905
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1754 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID ACT
Elevation of weather observation facility 515
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1657
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29034
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7620E
NTSB Number FTW85LA289
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 14-19-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 14-19-3
Aircraft Serial Number 4122
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 6 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 89
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID E. BRITTIAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1, BOX 238
Aircraft Owner City CLIFTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76634
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 7F7
Destination City CLIFTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --