What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 28, 2007, at 1145 am local, N13060, a Taylorcraft BF-1265 on floats, experienced an in-flight separation of the left wing during a left maneuvering turn. This was an instructional flight and witnesses reported that N13060 was observed conducting water landings previous to the incident. The aircraft was reported at approximately 100-200 feet AGL when the wing departed the aircraft. The aircraft then impacted the water near the shore (2-4 feet of water) of the willamette river at West Linn, Oregon. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged after impact with the water and river bottom. The left wing was recovered and inspected at the scene. The wing struts were found attached to the wing at the upper ends. Portions of the lower fuselage attach bracket were found bolted to the lower strut ends. Evidence of severe corrosion was noted along 70% of the strut attach bracket parting surface. The remaining fuselage half of the strut attach bracket exhibited the same corrosion pattern. Both left and right wing strut ends and the fuselage attach brackets have been sent to NTSB labs for analysis.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 28, 2007, AT 1145 AM LOCAL, N13060, A TAYLORCRAFT BF-1265 ON FLOATS, EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE LEFT WING DURING A LEFT MANEUVERING TURN. THIS WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT N13060 WAS OBSERVED CONDUCTING WATER LANDINGS PREVIOUS TO THE INCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED AT APPROXIMATELY 100-200 FEET AGL WHEN THE WING DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE WATER NEAR THE SHORE (2-4 FEET OF WATER) OF THE WILLAMETTE RIVER AT WEST LINN, OREGON. BOTH PILOTS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER IMPACT WITH THE WATER AND RIVER BOTTOM. THE LEFT WING WAS RECOVERED AND INSPECTED AT THE SCENE. THE WING STRUTS WERE FOUND ATTACHED TO THE WING AT THE UPPER ENDS. PORTIONS OF THE LOWER FUSELAGE ATTACH BRACKET WERE FOUND BOLTED TO THE LOWER STRUT ENDS. EVIDENCE OF SEVERE CORROSION WAS NOTED ALONG 70% OF THE STRUT ATTACH BRACKET PARTING SURFACE. THE REMAINING FUSELAGE HALF OF THE STRUT ATTACH BRACKET EXHIBITED THE SAME CORROSION PATTERN. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT WING STRUT ENDS AND THE FUSELAGE ATTACH BRACKETS HAVE BEEN SENT TO NTSB LABS FOR ANALYSIS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.