- Date
- June 8, 2009, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Somerville, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N43766Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090608007679A
- Case key
- 74017
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 directional control during the landing roll due to the separation of the tailwheel centering spring for an undetermined reason.
Findings · 2
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 after landing on Runway 12, the airplane began to veer to the right. His attempts to maintain directional control were unsuccessful and the airplane departed the right side of the runway, striking a plastic storage container and another airplane that was tied down. The impact damaged the right wing strut. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 080 degrees at 5 knots. During a subsequent examination of the wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found that the forward clevis fitting and attaching hardware were missing from the left hand tailwheel centering spring, which caused the airplane to be uncontrollable. The clevis fitting and attaching hardware were not recovered.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after landing on runway 12, the airplane began to veer to the right. The pilot's attempts to maintain directional control were unsuccessful and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. After departing the runway, the airplane struck a plastic storage container and another airplane that was tied down. The impact damaged the right wing strut. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 080 degrees at 5 knots. During a subsequent exam of wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found that the forward clevis fitting and attaching hardware were missing from the left hand tailwheel centering spring, which caused the airplane to be uncontrollable. The clevis fitting and attaching hardware were not recovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N43766
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7425
- Airframe hours
- 2,670
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 7, 2009 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- HWY · Warrenton, VA
- Destination
- SMQ · Somerville, NJ
- Airport
- SMQ · Somerset Airport, runway 12, 2,733 × 65 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 8, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,203 total · 10 in this make and model · 13 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- SMQ
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB 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.
Other investigations on N43766 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.