- Date
- August 12, 2015, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pearland, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N95592Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 17, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Houston FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150812013259A
- Case key
- 91771
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 student pilot inadvertently shut off the fuel valve while on the downwind leg, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a forced landing short of the runway.
Findings · 4
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 student pilot reported that while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, after crossing abeam the runway touchdown zone, he inadvertently shut off the fuel valve instead of activating the carburetor heat. Unaware of his mistake, the pilot continued on the landing approach believing the engine was operating at a reduced power setting. The pilot reported that after maneuvering the airplane onto final approach, he realized that the airplane was lower than normal and attempted to increase engine power. After the engine did not respond to his throttle movements, the pilot noticed that the carburetor heat control was not turned on. Believing the engine was experiencing carburetor icing, the pilot activated the carburetor heat. Still without any response from the engine, the pilot completed a forced landing short of the intended runway. The airplane collided with two trees during the forced landing, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. While securing the airplane after the accident, the pilot realized that he had inadvertently shut off the fuel valve while on the downwind leg instead of activating the carburetor heat. He stated that the two systems had similar push/pull control knobs that were positioned next to each other in the cockpit.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, after crossing abeam the runway touchdown zone, he inadvertently shut off the fuel valve instead of activating the carburetor heat. Unaware of his mistake, the pilot continued on the landing approach believing the engine was operating at a reduced power setting. The pilot reported that after maneuvering the airplane onto final approach, he realized that the airplane was lower than normal and attempted to increase engine power. After the engine did not respond to his throttle movements, the pilot noticed that the carburetor heat control was not turned on. Believing the engine was experiencing carburetor icing, the pilot activated the carburetor heat. Still without any response from the engine, the pilot completed a forced landing short of the intended runway. The airplane collided with two trees during the forced landing, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. While securing the airplane after the accident, the pilot realized that he had inadvertently shut off the fuel valve while on the downwind leg instead of activating the carburetor heat. He stated that the two systems had similar push/pull control knobs that were positioned next to each other in the cockpit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95592
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7892
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,783.5
- Engine
- Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 22, 2015 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- AXH · Arcola, TX
- Destination
- LVJ · Pearland, TX
- Airport
- LVJ · Pearland Regional Airport, runway 32, 4,313 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 32 in this make and model · 15 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- LVJ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 2, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 904 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.