- Date
- September 8, 2013, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chippewa Falls, WI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N23683Taylorcraft BL 65
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Case key
- 88027
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The loss of engine power after takeoff due to carburetor icing.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection and run-up of the airplane prior to takeoff. After takeoff, when the airplane was about 250 to 300 feet above ground level the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot reported that he applied carburetor heat but could not maintain altitude and struck trees. The pilot reported that he believed that the engine power loss was due to carburetor icing. The weather conditions at the time of the accident included a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, and a dew point of 13 degrees Celsius, which according to a carburetor icing probability chart, was in the range of susceptibility for serious icing at descent power settings, and moderate icing at cruise power settings.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection and run-up of the airplane prior to takeoff. After takeoff, when the airplane was about 250 to 300 feet above ground level the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot reported that he applied carburetor heat but could not maintain altitude and struck trees. The pilot reported that he believed that the engine power loss was due to carburetor icing. The weather conditions at the time of the accident included a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, and a dew point of 13 degrees Celsius, which according to a carburetor icing probability chart, was in the range of susceptibility for serious icing at descent power settings, and moderate icing at cruise power settings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23683
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BL 65 (65)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1417
- Built
- 1939
- Airframe hours
- 2,173
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-145B SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 10, 2013 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- Chippewa Falls, WI
- Destination
- Chippewa Falls, WI
- Airport
- PVT · Private
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,380 total · 500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 535 KB in all.