Bellanca 14-19 accident near Napa, California, November 16, 2002
On November 16, 2002 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 14-19, registered N501A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napa, California (Napa Co airport). 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate management of the fuel system, which led to fuel starvation and a water ditching.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2002 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Napa, California · Napa Co · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-19 · all 14-19s on the register
- Registration
- N501A · registry record · serial 2054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power during a missed instrument approach, and the pilot had to ditch the airplane. The airplane came to rest inverted and sank. The flight originally departed a Southern California airport at 0715 on a flight to Napa. The pilot stated that he departed with full fuel tanks consisting of 40 gallons in the main wing tanks (a 20-gallon tank in each wing) and 14 gallons in the auxiliary tank. The pilot did not detect any problems with the airplane during the flight. Upon arriving in the vicinity of Napa he learned that the weather was below IFR minimums. He diverted to Angwin to wait for the weather to improve and landed about 0915. After the Napa weather improved, the pilot departed Angwin at 1030. The pilot said he did not refuel at Angwin and he determined that he had about 30 total gallons of fuel onboard. The pilot received an IFR clearance upon approaching APC. During the localizer approach into runway 36L, he was advised that he was too high and to execute a missed approach. As the flight began the missed approach, the controller issued a holding clearance and the pilot stated "...fuel's getting low..." as a result, the controller issued vectors to intercept the localizer into APC. During climb out, between 2,500 to 3,000 feet, the engine began to lose power. The pilot requested immediate vectors to APC. During this time, the pilot performed emergency operations: switching fuel tanks, engaging carburetor heat, checking mixture control, and engaging the fuel boost pump. This momentarily restored power, and the pilot advised the approach controller; however, within a few moments the engine again lost partial power. The engine completely lost engine power shortly thereafter. The pilot broke out of the cloud layer and was approximately 200 feet above ground level (agl) and found only water below him. The pilot advised the controller that he would be landing in the water and then executed a "slow, stalled landing." The aircraft came to rest inverted. The pilot freed himself from the airplane, and a passing fishing boat rescued him. A FAA inspector examined the airplane and found no evidence of damage or a malfunction that would have caused the engine to stop running. The FAA inspector was unable to determine if there had been fuel on board the airplane at the time of the accident due to water in the airplane's fuel system. Water was also in all of the airplane's systems. According to information provided by Textron Lycoming, the O-435-A engine's typical fuel consumption is 12 to 14 gallons per hour at 60 percent power, and 16 to 18 gallons per hour at 70 percent power. A carburetor icing chart indicated serious icing conditions were favorable during the time of the accident.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,559 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,540 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,933 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 2002; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-435 A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 203 Angwin CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: APC Napa CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36L, 5,961 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from APC, 7 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N501A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.