Flight History
On December 2, 2010, at about 1030 Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registration N11858, conducted a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power near Corona, California. The flight was operated by Alliance International Aviation under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certified flight instructor was uninjured, and the commercial pilot undergoing instruction sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and fuselage. The local instructional flight had departed Chino, California, at about 0900. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Forced Landing
The instructor pilot reported that while returning to the airport, the engine began running rough and losing power, followed by a total loss of engine power. The instructor landed the airplane on a fairway at the Cresta Verde Golf Course. During the landing roll, the airplane entered a sand trap and nosed over.
Post-Accident Examination
During recovery, a large amount of oil was observed covering the underside of the airplane. A preliminary examination revealed a broken engine oil return line. On January 4, 2011, an examination by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors determined that the oil pressure line had failed at the nipple just aft of the b-nut. Wear marks or chafing marks were found on a metal sleeve just aft of the b-nut, prior to the flexible outer material. It was determined that these chafing marks resulted from rubbing against the bottom side of the engine load mount assembly. The undamaged end of the oil line was reinstalled on the fitting at the engine, and there was visible clearance between the hose assembly and the engine mount in the static condition.
Maintenance History
Review of the airplane’s maintenance records showed that the last engine removal for overhaul occurred in 2003, with annual inspections performed every year since then. There was no record of this hose assembly having been inspected since the overhaul.
Component Failure
The failed component, a MS24588 nipple, fractured circumferentially at the smallest cross-sectional area (0.019 square inches) of the part. There was no evidence of Service Difficulty Reports, Metadata Repository Reports, or Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins history associated with this part.