20030716017989A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Tcraft BC12D · Winsted, MN · July 16, 2003

Date: July 16, 2003 · 15:19 local
Place: Winsted, MN
Airport: Winsted Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7895A
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03LA213
Reported as: Tcraft BC12D
Reported engine: Lycoming O360*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,300 total0 in this make and model180 in the last 90 days

N7895ARegistration cancelled Dec 2, 2005 · Allenberg Jack D SWICK BC 12-DS/N 789JDA Airframe modelAllenberg Jack D SWICK BC 12-D Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Witness reported hearing engine "cut out" then resume power twice during takeoff roll. Witness observed airplane airborne over departure end of runway 09 at approximately 150 to 200 feet AGL. When engine quit again, aircraft banked left and descended at a 45 degree angle and impacted nose down in a field slightly beyond and to the left of the departure end of the runway. There was no fire. Estimates of the aircraft gross weight indicate that the airplane was approximately 78 pounds (6%) over the maximum gross takeoff weight. It was not determined which pilot was manipulating the flight controls during the takeoff. (-23 amendment) further investigation revealed that the aircraft fuel system fuel valve which supplies fuel from the wing tanks to the "header tank" was in the 'off' position, which could have caused engine failure due to fuel starvation when the fuel in the 'header' tank was exhausted. Examination of the engine revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITNESS REPORTED HEARING ENGINE "CUT OUT" THEN RESUME POWER TWICE DURING TAKEOFF ROLL. WITNESS OBSERVED AIRPLANE AIRBORNE OVER DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 09 AT APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 200 FEET AGL. WHEN ENGINE QUIT AGAIN, AIRCRAFT BANKED LEFT AND DESCENDED AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AND IMPACTED NOSE DOWN IN A FIELD SLIGHTLY BEYOND AND TO THE LEFT OF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THERE WAS NO FIRE. ESTIMATES OF THE AIRCRAFT GROSS WEIGHT INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78 POUNDS (6%) OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED WHICH PILOT WAS MANIPULATING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING THE TAKEOFF. (-23 AMENDMENT) FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM FUEL VALVE WHICH SUPPLIES FUEL FROM THE WING TANKS TO THE "HEADER TANK" WAS IN THE 'OFF' POSITION, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION WHEN THE FUEL IN THE 'HEADER' TANK WAS EXHAUSTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI03LA213Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportWinsted, MNThe inadequate aircraft preflight by both pilots of the closed main fuel valve which led to fuel starvation of the engine. Additional causes were the lack of recent experience in the accident airplane and the inadvertent stall by both pilots after a loss of…Jul 16, 2003 · Destroyed