# NTSB CEN11LA688: Taylorcraft BC12-D, N8617, Berryville, TX, August 28, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 28, 2011 - Place: Berryville, TX - Coordinates: 32.049903, -95.500663 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0499&lon=-95.5007&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Emergency descent: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 8, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82224 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA688 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82224/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA688 ## Probable cause The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during a forced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Inoperative; cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane experienced a loss of engine power as it was entering the traffic pattern for landing following a 1.5 hour flight. During the forced landing to a field, the airplane stalled about 5 feet above the ground, impacted the ground and came to rest in a nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal the reason for the loss of engine power. The potential for carburetor icing was not evaluated due to insufficient information. ## Factual narrative On August 28, 2011, at an unknown time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D airplane, N8617, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Berryville, Texas. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight originated from Paradise Point Airport (3TX1), Berryville, Texas, at an unknown time. The pilot reported the accident to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on September 13, 2011. The FAA reported the accident to the National Transportation Safety Board on November 1, 2011. The pilot reported, to the FAA, that the engine lost power during the turn from crosswind to downwind at 3TX1 following a 1.5 hour flight. During the forced landing to a field, the pilot stalled the airplane five feet above the ground. The airplane impacted the ground, the left main landing gear separated, and the left wing dug into the ground, fracturing the left wing spar. The airplane came to rest in a nose down attitude. The pilot moved the airplane to his hangar and partially disassembled the airplane to inspect the damage and to attempt to determine the cause of the loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to determine the cause of the loss of engine power. The FAA inspected the airplane on September 28, 2011. The fuel tanks were empty and did not show impact damage. The pilot stated that he had three hours of fuel on board prior to the accident flight and that the remaining fuel had leaked out since the accident. Due to the level of disassembly, the FAA inspectors were unable to determine if there were any mechanical anomalies with the airplane or the engine. The possibility for carburetor icing was examined and ruled out as a potential contributing factor. The pilot did not submit an accident report form, despite several requests. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8617](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8617-2013-05-23), registration cancelled 2013-05-23, S/N 8617, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TAYLORCRAFT BC12-D - Registry model: [Taylorcraft BC12-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bc12-d) (registry code 8850316) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 8617 - Engines: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2010 - Departed: 3TX1, Berryville, TX - Destination: 3TX1, Berryville, TX - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: 3TX1, Paradise Point Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: minor; commercial; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110828027239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110828027239A), Aug 28, 2011: Taylorcraft BC12-D, Point, TX, Substantial damage. Pilot was returning to his private grass strip from a 1.5 hour recreational flight. He was in a midfield crosswind to downwind position at 150' AGL when the… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.