Accident Details
On October 30, 2021, at about 1437 central daylight time, a Bellanca 7ECA airplane, registration N86612, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near LaPorte, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported that while operating in the airport traffic pattern, the engine lost power. After applying full throttle and carburetor heat, the engine did not respond. The pilot performed a forced landing, during which the airplane impacted fence poles, resulting in damage to both wings.
Examination Findings
Examination of the airplane revealed that when the fuel valve was turned on, fuel ran continuously through the carburetor and out of the bottom of the engine. The carburetor was removed and shipped to a repair facility. There, it was determined that a pontoon had detached from the carburetor's float assembly arm. Without a pontoon attached to the float assembly arm, excess fuel or flooding was possible in the float chamber.
The detached pontoon was an older brass style that was subject to service bulletins for replacement due to a history of mechanical failures.