20050809018249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Tcraft BC12D85 · Wasilla, AK · August 9, 2005

Date: August 9, 2005 · 20:15 local
Place: Wasilla, AK
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5616M
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC05LA118
Reported as: Tcraft BC12D85
Reported engine: Continental C8512
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 140 total40 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N5616MRegistration cancelled Aug 20, 2013 · Universal TAYLORCRAFT BC12D-85S/N 12016 · Built 1948 Airframe modelUniversal TAYLORCRAFT BC12D-85 Engine modelContinental C85 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) The private pilot rated airman and his son were on a pleasure flight near pitman road about 10 miles west of Wasilla Alaska. The pilot decided to descend from about 3000 feet to 900. When the pilot added power to recover from the descent the engine responded normally for climb and then quit. The pilot lowered the nose of the aircraft and lined up on a road for an emergency landing. As he approached the road the aircraft struck a power line which rotated the aircraft about 90 degrees. The right wing hit a tree and broke the tail. The aircraft had major damage to the right wing and right landing gear. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PRIVATE PILOT RATED AIRMAN AND HIS SON WERE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT NEAR PITMAN ROAD ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF WASILLA ALASKA. THE PILOT DECIDED TO DESCEND FROM ABOUT 3000 FEET TO 900. WHEN THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO RECOVER FROM THE DESCENT THE ENGINE RESPONDED NORMALLY FOR CLIMB AND THEN QUIT. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LINED UP ON A ROAD FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AS HE APPROACHED THE ROAD THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A POWER LINE WHICH ROTATED THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT 90 DEGREES. THE RIGHT WING HIT A TREE AND BROKE THE TAIL. THE AIRCRAFT HAD MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.

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 ANC05LA118Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWasilla, AKThe total loss of engine power for an unknown reason while maneuvering, which precipitated an emergency descent and landing, and resulted in an in-flight collision with power lines and trees. A factor associated with the accident was the power lines.Aug 9, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5616M · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19800927049609ATakeoff Ground Roll · Chugiak, AKTried to take off on mud flat. Failed to accelerate. Struck ditch on premature liftoff.Sep 27, 1980 · Substantial damage Accident 19770210002999ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Wyoming, MNFrozen lake. Landing tie struts showed evidence previous damage. Ski equipped.Feb 10, 1977 · Substantial damage