# NTSB ERA15LA214: Taylorcraft BC-12D, N43715, Inverness, FL, May 12, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 12, 2015, 07:40 local (11:40 UTC) - Place: Inverness, FL - Coordinates: 28.803611, -82.318336 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8036&lon=-82.3183&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 13, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91195 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15LA214 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91195/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91195 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA214 ## Probable cause A disconnection of the tailwheel steering mechanism during landing, which resulted in the pilot’s loss of directional control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: landing gear steering system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: sign/marker](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022015/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 214 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis After an uneventful preflight inspection and flight around the local area, the private pilot returned to the departure airport to practice touch-and-go landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The first two practice landings were uneventful; during the third landing roll, the pilot felt a vibration originating from the tailwheel that rapidly increased in intensity before the airplane suddenly veered to the left. The pilot attempted to compensate by applying full rudder control to the right, but the airplane continued to the left, departed the runway, struck a taxiway sign, and pitched nose down, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane's tailwheel revealed that the steering mechanism components connecting the tailwheel to the rudder had disconnected. Although a spring was recovered from the runway after the accident, the remaining hardware components were not recovered. Given this information, it is likely that the tailwheel steering mechanism became disconnected at some point during the landing and ultimately resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain directional control of the airplane. Because some of the steering mechanism components were not recovered, the reason for the disconnection could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On May 12, 2015, at 0740 eastern daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC-12D, N43715, was substantially damaged while attempting to land at Inverness Airport (INF), Inverness, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before departing on the local flight with the intent of practicing touch-and-go landings. The first two practice landings were uneventful. The pilot landed the airplane in a "three point full stall" attitude during the third landing. During the landing roll, and just before the pilot intended to increase engine power to take off, he felt a vibration originating from the tailwheel that was increasing rapidly in intensity. The airplane then suddenly veered to the left. The pilot attempted to compensate by applying full rudder to the right, but the airplane continued left, departed the runway, and struck a taxiway sign. The airplane subsequently pitched forward and the nose struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane following the accident and noted the tailwheel steering linkage was disconnected from the rudder arm. The right side tailwheel spring, which attached the right side of the tailwheel steering arm to the rudder remained attached to the tailwheel. The left side spring was not attached and was recovered by the pilot from the runway. The associated hardware used to attach the spring to the rudder arm were not recovered. Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on September 15, 2014. At that time the airframe had accrued 3,140 total hours of operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N43715](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43715-2018-05-30), registration cancelled 2018-05-30, S/N 7374, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TAYLORCRAFT BC-12D - 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: 7374 - Year built: 1946 - Airframe hours: 3140 - Engines: Continental Motors A65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 15, 2014 - Departed: INF, Inverness, FL - Destination: INF, Inverness, FL - Airport: INF, Inverness, runway 19, 5,001 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 20, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 306 total, 45 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: KINF, 1 nm away ## 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 20150512007839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150512007839A), May 12, 2015: Taylorcraft BC12-D, Inverness, FL, Substantial damage. On may 12, 2015, at approx 1130Z, the pilot of the Taylorcraft BC12-D, N43715, registered to "carpenter paul e", was unable to maintain directional control, as… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 13, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91195. 3.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 973 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477983&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 832 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477984&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Investigative Photographs (item 3, .PDF, 4 photos, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477985&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Master.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.