# NTSB CEN21LA082: Piper PA12, N2554M, Spearfish, SD, December 8, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 8, 2020, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Spearfish, SD - Coordinates: 44.481056, -103.786 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4811&lon=-103.7860&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Rapid City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102397 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA082 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102397/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102397 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA082 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power during initial climb for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis Before departing on the first flight after completion of the annual inspection, the pilot selected the right wing fuel tank, which was the fuller tank, performed an engine runup, and then initiated takeoff. The pilot said that the airplane climbed to about 70 ft above the runway, lost engine power for a few seconds, regained power briefly, then lost total power. The airplane landed hard on the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A postacccident engine run revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal airplane operation. Based on the available evidence, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On December 8, 2020, about 1030 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-12, N2554M, was involved in an accident near Spearfish, South Dakota. The private pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 maintenance test/check flight. After completing an annual inspection, maintenance personnel performed post-inspection engine run-ups, then turned the fuel selector to the OFF position. The pilot arrived at the maintenance facility with a passenger to perform a post-maintenance test/check flight. The pilot stated that the left fuel tank was ½ full and the right fuel tank was ¾ full, and that he positioned the fuel selector to the right fuel tank. Following an engine run-up, he initiated takeoff, and the airplane climbed to about 70 ft above the runway. The airplane lost engine power for a few seconds, regained power for a few more seconds, and then lost total power. The pilot lowered the airplane’s nose to increase airspeed, and the airplane continued to descend. He tried to flare the airplane, but the airplane landed hard on the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage tubular structure. A postacccident engine run revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2554M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2554M), registered now, S/N 12-1013, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA12 - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18267237 - Year built: 1946 - Airframe hours: 704.9 - Engines: Lycoming O320-A2A 150 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 7, 2020 - Destination: LVN, Lakeville, MN - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SPF, Black Hills Airport-Clyde Ice Field, runway 26, 4,003 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 21, 2019; seat: front; flight hours: 737 total, 161 in this make and model, 737 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 12 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: SPF ## 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 20201208017689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201208017689A), Dec 8, 2020: Piper PA-12, Spearfish, SD, Substantial damage. On December 08 2020, at 10:30 am, a Piper PA-12, s/n 12-1013, [privacy data omitted], was involved in a non-fatal accident, while taking off from the grass… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 15, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102397. 6.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 8 pages, 6.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13309397&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Gary%20Brehmer%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of correspondence - FAA (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13308246&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RECORD%20OF%20CORRESPONDENCE%20-%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Photo log (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 282 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13308622&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Log-Rel.pdf 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.