- Date
- July 5, 1998, 11:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Livermore, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N23670Taylorcraft BL-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980705015759A
- Case key
- 30141
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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the trees. A related factor was the mountainous terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a photographing flight in hilly terrain, the pilot applied full power, but the aircraft was unable to establish a positive rate of climb. The pilot reported that the aircraft was unable to clear the terrain and he made a forced landing into a tree. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions. An engine run was conducted with no abnormalities noted.
Factual narrative
On July 5, 1998, at 1120 hours Pacific daylight time, a Taylorcraft BL-65, N23670, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise and came to rest inverted after colliding with trees near the San Antonio Reservoir, Livermore, California. The aircraft, operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that after departing the Livermore airport he flew to Pleasanton so that his passenger could take some photographs, and then flew to the reservoir to take some more photographs. He stated that the area they were flying in was hilly terrain.
The pilot reported that he applied full power but was unable to establish a positive rate of climb. He further reported that the engine did not seem to be generating normal horsepower and he was unable to clear the hilly terrain. He made a forced landing in a tree and both he and his passenger were able to egress without further incident and hiked to the nearest road.
In the pilot's report to the Safety Board he reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions noted with the engine.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Oakland, California, Flight Standards District Office examined the engine. He reported that an engine run was conducted with no abnormalities noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23670
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BL-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BL 65
- Engine
- Lycoming O-145-B2, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth M. Coe & Daniel Powell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 11, 1997
- Departed
- LVK
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 266 total · 130 in this make and model · 221 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LVK, 15 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.