Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Sussex, New Jersey, February 9, 2014
On February 9, 2014 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1975 Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N103KW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Sussex, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2014 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sussex, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB, built 1975 · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N103KW · no longer on the register · serial 512-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he did not verify the quantity of fuel in the airplane's fuel tanks prior to departure. About 15 minutes into the flight, the engine began to "sputter," then experienced a total loss of power. After looking at the airplane's fuel gauges, the pilot determined that the airplane had "run out of fuel." The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing to a snow-covered field. Upon touchdown, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 27, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 543 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Club Of Sussex LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FWN Sussex NJ at 8:00 pm
- Destination: FWN Sussex NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FWN, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.