Wednesday, October 02, 2019

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Taylorcraft BC-12-D, N95131; accident occurred October 01, 2019 near Grand Strand Airport (KCRE), North Myrtle Beach, Horry County, South Carolina









Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; West Columbia, South Carolina

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

https://registry.faa.gov/N95131

Location: Longs, SC
Accident Number: GAA20CA001
Date & Time: 10/01/2019, 1055 EDT
Registration: N95131
Aircraft: Taylorcraft BC12
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

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.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
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

Aircraft
Fuel - Fluid level (Cause)

Personnel issues
Fuel planning - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Tree(s) - Effect on operation (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Enroute
Fuel exhaustion
Loss of engine power (total) (Defining event)

Landing
Off-field or emergency landing
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 66, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s):None
Restraint Used: 
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/09/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/16/2018
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 5094 hours (Total, all aircraft), 27 hours (Total, this make and model), 5094 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 36 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 8 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)


Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Taylorcraft
Registration: N95131
Model/Series: BC12 D
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1959
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 9531
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/16/2019, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1200 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4791.1 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: A65-8
Registered Owner: N95131 Aviation Llc
Rated Power: 65 hp
Operator: N95131 Aviation Llc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None


Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCRE, 33 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 7 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1453 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 174°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 5500 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 20°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.15 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 21°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Forest, VA (W90)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: North Myrtle Beach, SC (CRE)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0830 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 33.929722, -78.735556 (est)



HORRY COUNTY, South Carolina (WBTW) – Fire rescue teams are responding to a call for a small plane crash on Highway 905 in Longs.

The single-engine plane was reported out of fuel just before 11 a.m. on Tuesday and had to make an emergency landing, according to reports. North Myrtle Beach and Horry County crews were tracking where the plane might land.

The plane eventually crashed into a line of trees at 10478 S. Highway 905 in Longs.

Only one person was in the plane at the time and that person signed a waiver for transportation. No injuries have been reported.

Crews say fuel hazard was not an issue.

News13 has learned the plane was a 1959 Taylorcraft BC12-D fixed wing, single engine plane, according to the FAA. It’s owned by N95131 Aviation LLC, out of Goode, Virginia. It’s unclear where the plane was traveling from when it went down in Horry County.

Story and video ➤ https://www.wbtw.com

LONGS, South Carolina (WPDE) — Horry County Fire Rescue says they're responding to a plane crash in Longs.

The plane is down in the 10400 block of Highway 905.

The aircraft crashed into a wooded area just before 11 a.m. The pilot reported running out of fuel.

HCFR's Tony Casey says the pilot waived transport to the hospital and that there is no fuel hazard at the scene.

The plane is a single-engine fixed-wing Taylorcraft BC 12-D registered to an LLC in Bedford, Virginia.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://wpde.com

2 comments:

  1. What a shame. Destroying a nice aircraft due to piss poor fuel planning.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As a BC-12 owner I am more than pissed off. Those are gorgeous birds. How the hell you run our of fuel? I think such transgression unless a malfunction and fuel leak should be grounds for license revocation for life.

    ReplyDelete