Pilot Debrief

TAYLORCRAFT BC12 near Commerce, GA — 2018-05-21

Final reportERA18FA149
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Date
2018-05-21
Location
Commerce, GA, USA
Aircraft
TAYLORCRAFT BC12
Registration
N94909
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to effectively mitigate an accumulation of carburetor ice, which resulted in an undetected partial loss of engine power and an aerodynamic stall during takeoff.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot departed on a visual flight rules local flight. A witness saw the pilot conduct a preflight inspection of the accident airplane and depart on a 10-minute flight. When the airplane returned to the airstrip to land, the witness heard the engine rpm "going up and down." After the airplane landed, the pilot began taxiing toward the hangar but then taxied back to the runway for another takeoff. The witness stated that the airplane reached an altitude between about 50 and 75 ft above the runway with the engine sputtering. At that time, the airplane seemed to slow and was just above the trees when the right wing and then the nose dropped, which was followed by an impact with trees. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions near the accident site at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at descent engine power settings. Given that these conditions existed, and that the witness reported the engine rpm may have been fluctuating during the airplane's previous landing approach, it is likely that carburetor ice accumulated during the prior descent and possibly the taxi period that followed prior to the accident takeoff. The undetected partial loss of power during the accident takeoff ultimately led to an aerodynamic stall from which the pilot was unable to recover.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have used carburetor heat during initial climb to prevent icing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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