NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW83LA141
Registry · N5042J
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
BELLANCA 8KCAB
Year of manufacture
1979 · 4 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING AEIO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19790327
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A64B73
Registrant of record
LUTES DAVID W
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
DURING ARRIVAL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AS THE ACFT WAS ON BASE LEG FOR LANDING. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE FULL POWER AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN UMIMPROVED AREA APRX 2 MI FROM THE AIRPORT. DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT A LARGE WOODEN FENCE POST BEFORE THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO STOP. APRX 1 GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL TANKS DURING A POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION. THE FUEL CAPACITY WAS 40 GAL, OF WHICH, .77 GAL WAS UNUSABLE. AFTER THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT (FROM ROSWELL, NM TO ADDISION, TX), 27 GAL OF FUEL WAS ADDED. THE PLT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED FULL PRIOR TO TAKEOFF; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL DURING HIS PREFLIGHT. APRX 10 MIN PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT ROSWELL, THE RIGHT TANK INDICATED EMPTY & THE LEFT TANK INDICATED ABOUT 1/8 FULL. THE TOTAL ELAPSED TIME OF THE FLIGHT WAS 3 HRS & 42 MIN IN ADDITION TO A 20 MIN GROUND DELAY AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1983_FTW83LA141.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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