Downer Bellanca 14-19-2 accident near Lancaster, California, May 14, 2004
On May 14, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Downer Bellanca 14-19-2, registered N7658B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's fuel mismanagement by his failure to follow the recommended procedures for operation of the auxiliary fuel tank, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Downer Bellanca 14-19-2 · all Bellanca 14-19-2s on the register
- Registration
- N7658B · registry record · serial 4009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted sagebrush during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The commercial pilot reported he was in cruise flight at 1,000 feet above the ground when the engine lost power. The pilot reported the loss of power was "in a manner indicative of fuel starvation." The pilot switched fuel tanks from the auxiliary fuel tank to the right main fuel tank and attempted an engine restart with the wobble pump. The pilot obtained an engine surge, but no power. He switched to the left main fuel tank and utilized the wobble pump again, to no avail. The pilot then set up for the forced landing in desert terrain. Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed there was no fuel present in the auxiliary fuel tank, while the left and right main fuel tanks had 10 and 15 gallons of fuel, respectively. No fuel was present in the gascolator, the carburetor, and any of the fuel lines forward of the firewall. The aircraft's operation manual indicates that the auxiliary fuel tank should not be completely emptied in flight because it will result in air being pumped into the fuel line.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,603 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 2,553 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 6, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WJF Lancaster CA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from WJF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N7658B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX04LA210.