20050720017729I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Tcraft BC-65 · Bakersfield, CA · July 20, 2005

Date: July 20, 2005 · 09:54 local
Place: Bakersfield, CA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N21223
Reported as: Tcraft BC65
Reported engine: Continental A65*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

N21223Registered now · Taylorcraft BC-65S/N 1013 · Built 1938 Airframe modelTaylorcraft BC-65 Engine modelContinental A&C65 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) N21223 was on a VFR flight from kbfl to kmhv. After departing kbfl and climbing through approx. 5000' MSL, the engine began running rough followed by engine failure. The pilot attempted to glide to a private airport but elected to land in an orchard of new small trees when he determined he did not have sufficient altitude. The aircraft right wing tip suffered minor damage when it struck a tree. There were no injuries to the pilot and no other damage to the aircraft. The aircraft was test flown the day before this flight for approximately 20 min. With no noted problems. Investigation by the pilot/mechanic found water and foreign material contamination in the fuel gascolator., gascolator screen, carburetor inlet screen and the carburetor bowl. The aircraft was reported to have been stored outside for the previous 3 to 4 months.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N21223 WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM KBFL TO KMHV. AFTER DEPARTING KBFL AND CLIMBING THROUGH APPROX. 5000' MSL, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH FOLLOWED BY ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO A PRIVATE AIRPORT BUT ELECTED TO LAND IN AN ORCHARD OF NEW SMALL TREES WHEN HE DETERMINED HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING TIP SUFFERED MINOR DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TEST FLOWN THE DAY BEFORE THIS FLIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MIN. WITH NO NOTED PROBLEMS. INVESTIGATION BY THE PILOT/MECHANIC FOUND WATER AND FOREIGN MATERIAL CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL GASCOLATOR., GASCOLATOR SCREEN, CARBURETOR INLET SCREEN AND THE CARBURETOR BOWL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN STORED OUTSIDE FOR THE PREVIOUS 3 TO 4 MONTHS.