Fri, Aug 02, 2024
About 25-30 Ft Above The Ground During The Initial Climb The Engine Suddenly Lost About 1,000 RPM
Location: Columbia, Tennessee Date & Time: November 11, 2023, 08:15 Local
Aircraft:Taylorcraft BC12-65 Defining Event: Fuel related
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Accident Number: ERA24LA032 Registration: N29868
Aircraft Damage: Substantial Injuries: 1 Minor
Analysis: The pilot was preparing for takeoff after the engine had been running for about 25 minutes. Before departing, he tested the carburetor heat and noted that it was functioning as expected.
He applied power for takeoff and the engine accelerated “strongly and smoothly.” About 25-30 ft above the ground during the initial climb the engine suddenly lost about 1,000 rpm. The pilot elected to perform an off-field landing. He maneuvered to avoid a hedgerow and the airplane
touched down in an in an area of high grass. During the landing sequence, the fuselage and right wing were substantially damaged.
A postaccident examination of the engine and fuel system did not reveal evidence of a preexisting anomaly or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The temperature/dew point at the time of the accident was in the range for serious carburetor icing at cruise power. While the pilot described checking the functionality of the carburetor heat before as part of his normal preflight checks, and leaving it on for “a little longer” than normal as a part of that process, given all available information, it is likely that the temperature of the carburetor dropped during the extended operation of the engine while on the ground, and that during takeoff, the carburetor accumulated ice to a point that resulted in the partial loss of engine power.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- A partial loss of engine power due to an accumulation of carburetor ice, resulting in an off airport landing and substantial damage to the airplane.
More News
Circle To Runway (Runway Number) Used by ATC to inform the pilot that he/she must circle to land because the runway in use is other than the runway aligned with the instrument appr>[...]
Aero Linx: National Aviation Safety Foundation (NASF) The National Aviation Safety Foundation is a support group whose objective is to enhance aviation safety through educational p>[...]
At Altitude Of About 250-300 Ft Agl, The Airplane Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power On November 6, 2024, at 1600 central standard time, a De Havilland DHC-1, N420TD, was inv>[...]
From 2009 (YouTube Edition): Three Hour Flight Was 'Flawless' -- At Least, Until Mother Nature Intervened For anyone who loves the aviation business, this was a VERY good day. Afte>[...]
Also: AMA Names Tyler Dobbs, More Falcon 9 Ops, Firefly Launch Unsuccessful, Autonomous F-16s The Air Force has begun ground testing a future uncrewed jet design in a milestone tow>[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.05.25): Circle To Runway (Runway Number)
See All