NTSB Factual Report

On November 11, 2001, at 1512 central standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N76SV, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground following an aborted landing on runway 02 (5,901 feet by 75 feet, asphalt), at the Nevada Municipal Airport (NVD), Nevada, Missouri. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was not on a flight plan. The pilot received serious injuries. The flight originated from the Hale County Airport (PVW), Plainview, Texas, at 1220.

The pilot reported, "On the take-off roll, just before rotation, the aircraft began to veer to the left." The pilot said that he rotated and retracted the landing gear normally. The pilot stated that he had electrical problems during the flight and when he reached NVD, he was unable to establish communications on the NVD common traffic advisory frequency. He said he called his father using a cellular telephone so that his father could verify the landing gear position. After confirming that the landing gear was down, the pilot attempted to land on runway 02. The pilot said that during the landing, when the nose wheel contacted the runway, the airplane again veered to the left. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and the pilot aborted the landing. The airplane struck the visual approach slope indicator during the aborted landing. The airplane climbed to about 60 feet AGL when the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to land on a road and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane came to rest on the opposite side of the road.

After the accident, fuel was observed running from beneath the airplane. The flow of fuel was "stemmed" by moving the fuel selector from the right position to the off position. After the airplane was moved to a hangar, the inboard fuel cells were accessed and no fuel was found in the inboard right fuel cell. The outboard fuel cells were broken loose from the aircraft structure.

A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The engine was broken loose from its mount and the propeller was separated from the engine. The forward fuselage was crushed rearward. The right and left wings were fragmented from a point even with the outboard edge of the flaps to the respective wing tips. Examination of the engine revealed compression on all cylinders and spark from the impulse coupled magneto was confirmed. No fuel was found in the fuel distribution valve, or fuel injector lines. The alternator drive belt was broken. The alternator could not be turned by hand. The alternator was removed and examined. The alternator case halves were misaligned and the case exhibited evidence of impact damage. The alternator case bolts were loosened and the alternator shaft rotated freely when misalignment pressures were relieved. The nose wheel steering system consists of two rods attached to the top of a T-bar supported by two bearings mounted on the strut tube. The T-bar is mounted on the forward side of the upper strut tube. The lower end of the T-bar attaches to the steering collar on the nose wheel strut with a link. The link is on the left side of the centerline of the nose wheel strut. The link was fractured and the fracture surfaces exhibited signatures consistent with tension overload failure. No anomalies were found with respect to the airframe, engine, or systems, that could be identified as existing prior to impact.

A witness reported that the airplane was not developing full power during the aborted landing.

According to fueling records, the airplane was filled with fuel prior to departure from PVW.

NTSB Probable Cause

The inadequate fuel consumtion calculations by the pilot resulting in fuel starvation during the aborted landing, and the overloaded steering link for undetermined reasons resulting in the lack of directional control during landing. Factors were the electrical system failure for undetermined reasons, the visual approach slope indicator (VASI) system, and the altitude/clearance from the VASI not possible by the pilot.