Accident Bellanca 8KCAB N5540K, Sunday 4 June 1995

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Date:	Sunday 4 June 1995
Time:	17:20 LT
Type:	Bellanca 8KCAB
Owner/operator:	Orange County Flight Center
Registration:	N5540K
MSN:	394-78
Year of manufacture:	1978
Total airframe hrs:	3296 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming AE10-320-E1B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Mission Viejo, CA - United States of America
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Santa Ana, CA (KSNA)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND THE STUDENT WERE DOING AEROBATICS IN A PRACTICE AREA WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE CFI DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND LANDED ON A PAVED ROAD. DURING THE GROUND ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN AUTOMOBILE. A FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND REPORTED THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE CARBURETOR THROTTLE ARM. THE BOLT WAS FOUND IN THE THROTTLE ARM HOLE; HOWEVER, THE REQUIRED CASTELLATED NUT AND A COTTER PIN WERE MISSING FROM THE BOLT. THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT PRIOR TO MAY 16, 1995, THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A PROPELLER STRIKE AND THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FOR DISASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION. THE ENGINE WAS REINSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT 12 DAYS, OR 7 FLIGHT HOURS, PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

Probable Cause: the loss of engine power due to the failure of company maintenance personnel to correctly connect the throttle arm and throttle linkage during engine installation.

Accident investigation: