# NTSB GAA20CA001: Taylorcraft BC12, N95131, Longs, SC, October 1, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 1, 2019, 10:55 local (14:55 UTC) - Place: Longs, SC - Coordinates: 33.929721, -78.735557 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9297&lon=-78.7356&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 21, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 100362 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA20CA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100362/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100362 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA001 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, an off-airport landing, and impact with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Taylorcraft BC12-D, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=8850316), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: 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 The pilot reported that, during preflight preparations, he estimated that the flight time would be about 2 hours 29 minutes with a total fuel burn of 10.1 gallons. The airplane departed with 12 gallons of fuel. About 2 hours 25 minutes into the flight, the engine quit. The pilot navigated toward a nearby field to make an off-airport landing. During the landing, he saw a deep ditch and a house, so he attempted to ground loop the airplane to the left. Both wings impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation that adding a fuel stop would have prevented the accident. The Federal Aviation Administrator inspector who examined the airplane reported that the nose tank had evidence of fuel being in it recently (the indicator cork was still wet with fuel), but no fuel remained in the tank. Both the right and left wing tanks were examined, and no fuel remained in either tank. No evidence of a fuel spill was found on the airplane or the ground. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, during preflight preparations, he estimated the flight time to be about 2 hours and 29 minutes with a total fuel burn of 10.1 gallons. The airplane departed with 12 gallons of fuel. About 2 hours and 25 minutes to the destination airport, the engine quit. He navigated toward a nearby field and made an off-airport landing. He noted that there were tall trees at the beginning of the field and landed long. During the landing, he saw a deep ditch and a house, so he attempted to ground loop the airplane to the left. Both wings impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation that adding a fuel stop would have prevented the accident. The Federal Aviation Administrator inspector who examined the airplane reported that, the nose tank had evidence of fuel being in it recently, but no fuel remained in the tank (the indicator cork was still wet with fuel). Both the right and left wing tanks were examined and no evidence of fuel remained in either tank. The left fuel tank drain valve had been removed at some point in the past and the opening was covered with green painters' tape. There was no evidence of a fuel spill on the aircraft or the ground around the aircraft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N95131](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N95131-2019-12-30), registration cancelled 2019-12-30, S/N 9531, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Taylorcraft BC12 (D) - 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: 9531 - Year built: 1959 - Airframe hours: 4791.1 - Engines: Continental A65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: N95131 Aviation Llc - Registered owner: N95131 Aviation Llc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 16, 2019 - Departed: W90, Forest, VA - Destination: CRE, North Myrtle Beach, SC - Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 16, 2018; seat: left; flight hours: 5,094 total, 27 in this make and model, 5,094 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KCRE, 7 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 20191001013769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191001013769A), Oct 1, 2019: Taylorcraft BC12-D, Longs, SC, Substantial damage. Pilot departed new london airport (W90) in route to north myrtle beach airport (kcre). He planned to use 9.7 gallons of gas. Prior to arriving at kcre all 12… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100362. 1.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 844 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478925&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of E-mail Correspondence (FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478926&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20E-mail%20Correspondence%20(FAA)-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 3, .PDF, 235 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478927&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-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.