No fatalities

Tailwheel Aircraft Noses Over After Engine Failure on Forced Landing

El Dorado, AR, United States

On July 27, 2018, a BELLANCA 8GCBC operated by Blues Air Llc was involved in an aviation accident near El Dorado, AR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel airplane experienced a total loss of engine power during return from a local flight. The pilot force-landed on a dirt road, but the propeller struck the ground and the aircraft nosed over, damaging the right-wing lift strut.

Accident Overview

During a return to the departure airport following a local flight, the pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported a total loss of engine power. The pilot executed a forced landing on a dirt road; however, during the landing, the propeller struck the ground, causing the airplane to nose over.

Damage and Investigation

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut. According to the pilot, there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drained the wing tanks and recovered only one gallon of fuel from both tanks combined. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.

Additional Details

No other information regarding the aircraft type, registration, operator, location, date, or occupants has been provided in the initial report.

Contributing factors

Fluid levelPilot