# Accident 20070728014129A: Tcraft BF1265, West Linn, OR, July 28, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 28, 2007, 11:45 local time
- Place: West Linn, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.3594° N, 122.6117° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3594&lon=-122.6117&mi=10
- Aircraft: N13060, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13060-2017-02-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Taylorcraft BF12-65 (registry code 8850340, https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bf12-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TCRAFT BF1265
- Reported engine: CONT C858F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 8,430 total, 2,194 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA07LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07LA217) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070728014129A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 SEA07LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07LA217), Jul 28, 2007: Taylorcraft BF12 (N13060), West Linn, OR, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The corrosion, fatigue fracture, and subsequent separation of the left wing lift strut attachment fitting. Also causal was the inadequate maintenance and annual inspection by the owner/pilot/mechanic.

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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