Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Mission Viejo, California, June 5, 1995
On June 5, 1995, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N5540K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mission Viejo, California. It was an instructional 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 loss of engine power due to the failure of company maintenance personnel to correctly connect the throttle arm and throttle linkage during engine installation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1995
- Place
- Mission Viejo, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5540K · registry record · serial 394-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND THE STUDENT WERE DOING AEROBATICS IN A PRACTICE AREA WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE CFI DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND LANDED ON A PAVED ROAD. DURING THE GROUND ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN AUTOMOBILE. A FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND REPORTED THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE CARBURETOR THROTTLE ARM. THE BOLT WAS FOUND IN THE THROTTLE ARM HOLE; HOWEVER, THE REQUIRED CASTELLATED NUT AND A COTTER PIN WERE MISSING FROM THE BOLT. THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT PRIOR TO MAY 16, 1995, THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A PROPELLER STRIKE AND THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FOR DISASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION. THE ENGINE WAS REINSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT 12 DAYS, OR 7 FLIGHT HOURS, PRIOR TO 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,383 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 314 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 1,237 as pilot in command; 876 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,296 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 22, 1995; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AE10-320-E1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orange County Flight Center
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 am from SNA, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.