Bellanca 14-13-2 accident near Sebring, Florida, January 13, 1989
On January 13, 1989 at about 3:04 pm local time, a Bellanca 14-13-2, registered N74473, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sebring, Florida. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE CAM GEAR SNAP RING, WHICH ALLOWED THE CAMSHAFT GEAR TO BECOME DISCONNECTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1989 · about 3:04 pm local time
- Place
- Sebring, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-13-2 · all 14-13-2s on the register
- Registration
- N74473 · no longer on the register · serial 1586
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT AT AN ALT OF APRX 1000 FT, THE ENG LOST POWER. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENG WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE CAM GEAR SNAP RING (FRANKLIN PART NO: 19983) HAD FAILED & ALLOWED THE CAMSHAFT GEAR TO ROTATE TO AN OUT-OF-TIME CONDITION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE PISTONS CONTACTED THE INTAKE & EXHAUST VALVES. THE ENG HAD A TOTAL TIME OF APRX 1205 HRS.
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: 2,420 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 1988; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Franklin 6A-335-B1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8X5 Lake Placid FL at 2:44 pm
- Destination: SEF Sebring FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from BOW, 40 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.
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.