Bellanca 17 30 N14728 accident near Grove, Oklahoma

Probable cause

An unporting of fuel in the right wing while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot and his passenger were landing at the conclusion of a cross-country flight. During the right turn from the base leg to the final leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine lost partial power. The pilot attempted to restore power by switching from the right fuel tank to the auxiliary fuel tank, but engine power was not restored. The airplane was substantially damaged during the subsequent forced landing to a field.

A postaccident examination revealed that the right fuel tank had at least 5 gallons of fuel remaining, 4 gallons of which were unusable. The left fuel tank contained 5 gallons of fuel, and the auxiliary fuel tank was full, containing 15 gallons of fuel. An examination of the engine and fuel system revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and the loss of engine power could not be duplicated during an engine test run. Given the low fuel state of the right wing, it is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel starvation as the fuel unported during the right turn.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN17LA242 for the full record.