Downer Bellanca 14-19-3 accident near N. Little Rock, Arkansas, May 23, 2008
On May 23, 2008 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Downer Bellanca 14-19-3, registered N7640E, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near N. Little Rock, Arkansas (North Little Rock, Ar airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the incorrect and improper installation of throttle and mixture cables by unknown maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2008 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- N. Little Rock, Arkansas · North Little Rock, Ar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Downer Bellanca 14-19-3 · all Bellanca 14-19-3s on the register
- Registration
- N7640E · no longer on the register · serial 4143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the flight, the airplane's fuel tanks were topped off with fuel, and the airplane pre-flight was normal. During initial takeoff climb approximately 200 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot retracted the landing gear and the engine lost power. Prior to the loss of engine power, the pilot did not hear a bang, sputter, or any indication of an engine problem. The pilot attempted to restart the engine; however, the restart was unsuccessful. The pilot initiated a forced landing and tried to land on the remaining runway surface. The airplane touched down off the runway surface, impacted terrain, and came to rest upright. Examination of the airframe and engine showed that the mixture and throttle cables were routed incorrectly, and the two cables were longer than the original cables. The original drawings showed that the cables exited the firewall and were routed up to the center cylinders and looped back to the fuel control unit. The accident airplane cables exited the firewall and were routed up to the forward cylinders (in proximity of the nose landing gear retraction assembly), and then looped back 180 degrees to the fuel control unit. The fuel control unit was mounted under and aft of the engine. The inspector noted contact with the mixture cable and the nose landing gear retraction assembly. During the landing gear retraction, the mixture cable was snagged by the gear retraction mechanism and disrupted the fuel system which resulted in the loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Mixture control › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORK N. Little Rock AR at 9:40 pm
- Destination: JKA Gulf Shores AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from LIT, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN08LA095.