Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during a forced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that the airplane experienced a loss of engine power as it was entering the traffic pattern for landing following a 1.5 hour flight. During the forced landing to a field, the airplane stalled about 5 feet above the ground, impacted the ground and came to rest in a nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal the reason for the loss of engine power. The potential for carburetor icing was not evaluated due to insufficient information.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 28, 2011, at an unknown time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D airplane, N8617, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Berryville, Texas. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight originated from Paradise Point Airport (3TX1), Berryville, Texas, at an unknown time. The pilot reported the accident to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on September 13, 2011. The FAA reported the accident to the National Transportation Safety Board on November 1, 2011. The pilot reported, to the FAA, that the engine lost power during the turn from crosswind to downwind at 3TX1 following a 1.5 hour flight. During the forced landing to a field, the pilot stalled the airplane five feet above the ground. The airplane impacted the ground, the left main landing gear separated, and the left wing dug into the ground, fracturing the left wing spar. The airplane came to rest in a nose down attitude. The pilot moved the airplane to his hangar and partially disassembled the airplane to inspect the damage and to attempt to determine the cause of the loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to determine the cause of the loss of engine power. The FAA inspected the airplane on September 28, 2011. The fuel tanks were empty and did not show impact damage. The pilot stated that he had three hours of fuel on board prior to the accident flight and that the remaining fuel had leaked out since the accident. Due to the level of disassembly, the FAA inspectors were unable to determine if there were any mechanical anomalies with the airplane or the engine. The possibility for carburetor icing was examined and ruled out as a potential contributing factor. The pilot did not submit an accident report form, despite several requests.