# Accident 20021007037569A: Tcraft 15A, Somerset, PA, October 7, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2002, 14:40 local time
- Place: Somerset, PA
- Airport: Somerset County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0425° N, 79.0131° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0425&lon=-79.0131&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6652N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6652N-2006-02-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Taylorcraft 15A (registry code 8850702, https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-15a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C145 series (registry code 17012, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TCRAFT 15A
- Reported engine: CONT C1452H
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 16,150 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD03LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD03LA002) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021007037569A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 24, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED POWERLINES AND CAME TO REST IN A WOODED AREA ADJACENT TO A CORNFIELD NEAR LISTIE ROAD. THE PILOT AND ONE OCCUPANT WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT AND THE ENGINE WERE INSPECTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE CARBURETOR WAS CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE ACCELERATOR PUMP WOULD NOT MOVE AND THE THROTTLE VALVE WOULD ONLY MOVE APPROXIMATELY 30% OF TRAVEL. THE COMPRESSION FOR EACH CYLINDER WAS CHECKED #3 WAS VERY LOW AND #5 HAD NONE AT ALL. THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PUMP WAS FROZEN IN ITS BORE AND THAT WAS THE REASON THE THROTTLE VALVE WOULD ONLY MOVE 30%. THE AIR CLEANER WAS PLUGGED WITH DIRT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB IAD03LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD03LA002), Oct 7, 2002: Taylorcraft 15A (N6652N), Somerset, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The mechanic's failure to discover several mechanical deficiencies during a pre-buy inspection, which either independently or collectively resulted in a subsequent engine failure. A factor was the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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