Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Middletown, Ohio, January 16, 1994
On January 16, 1994 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N41826, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middletown, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FROZEN OIL LINE RESULTING IN THE STARVATION OF OIL TO THE ENGINE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1994 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Middletown, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N41826 · registry record · serial 122-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2000 FEET MSL, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE OIL TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE GAGES SUDDENLY INDICATED ZERO. HE STATED THAT HE LOOKED ALONG THE SIDES OF THE AIRPLANE FOR ANY EVIDENCE OF OIL, BUT THERE WAS NONE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AN INDICATION PROBLEM, SO HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF THE ZERO INDICATION THE ENGINE STARTED TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SUITABLE PLACE FOR A FORCED LANDING, SO HE LANDED IN A PLOWED FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE LANDING. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. THE EXAMINATION INCLUDED THE REMOVAL OF THE OIL SUMP AND ACCESSORY CASE. WHEN THE OIL SUMP WAS REMOVED THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF BEARING MATERIAL IN THE SUMP AND ALSO THERE WAS WATER IN THE OIL THAT WAS DRAINED OUT OF THE OIL HOSES. THE CONNECTING ROD ON THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER SEPARATED AT THE LARGE END RESULTING IN THE PISTON BEING JAMMED IN THE CYLINDER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 9,110 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 8,338 as pilot in command; 1,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,032 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1993; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: A & H Flying INC.
The flight
- Departed from: I73 Moraine OH at 5:00 pm
- Destination: I73
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.