# Accident 20160305002199A: Taylorcraft BL-65, St. Petersburg, FL, March 5, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 5, 2016, 13:45 local time
- Place: St. Petersburg, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.7239° N, 82.6650° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7239&lon=-82.6650&mi=10
- Aircraft: N22661, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N22661) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Taylorcraft BL-65 (registry code 8850350, https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bl-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-145B series (registry code 41502, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-145b-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TAYLORCRAFT BL-65
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-145B SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 182 total, 71 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA123) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160305002199A

## Narrative

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

AFTER APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR OF FLYING DOWN THE COAST FROM CGC AIRPORT PILOT BEGAN TO CROSS OVER TOWARD THE SKYWAY BRIDGE AT 800 FT MSL TO TRACK STRAIGHT TO 48X AIRPORT.  AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF TRACKING STRAIGHT TO 48X THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH.  PILOT CALLED ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT TOWER, TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ENGINE SITUATION AND STARTED PROGRAMMING HIS GPS TO SPG AIRPORT WHICH WAS 5 MILES AWAY. MOMENTS LATER THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE LOST ABOUT 50 % OF THE POWER.  AT THAT POINT THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TO SPG AIRPORT.  PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT A NEARBY FIELD. AIRCRAFT LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE; HOWEVER, TO AVOID ROLLING INTO A POND THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT WHICH CAUSED THE LEFT WING TO MAKE CONTACT WITH A TREE, GROUND-LOOPING THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES TO A FULL STOP. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR THE PASSENGER.

## 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 ERA16LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA123), Mar 5, 2016: Taylorcraft BL (N22661), St. Petersburg, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of the No. 3 cylinder head stud.

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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