Taylorcraft 12-M N49153

Summary

On 1 August 2015 at about 17:30 local time, a Taylorcraft 12-M registered N49153 was involved in an accident near Selma, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 2015 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Selma, California, United States

Nearest airport

Selma (0Q4)

Coordinates

36.3400, -119.6572

Aircraft

Taylorcraft 12-M

Registration

N49153

Category

Airplane

Year built

1943

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Selma → Selma

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR15LA226

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot receiving instruction's use of an excessive pitch attitude during takeoff with the airplane near its maximum gross weight in hot and humid conditions, which degraded the airplane’s climb performance and resulted in a collision with obstacles during an off-airport landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot receiving instruction and flight instructor departed the airport area, practiced basic maneuvers, and then returned to the airport to practice takeoffs and landings. The pilot receiving instruction successfully completed five full-stop landings. The flight instructor reported that, during the sixth takeoff, the tail came up a bit slower but not at an abnormal rate. He added that, at liftoff, the airplane's pitch attitude was a bit higher than during the previous liftoffs and that the airplane was not climbing. As the flight instructor adjusted his position to see out the front windscreen, the airplane contacted the runway and then bounced. He determined that there was insufficient runway to land and stop the airplane, so he held the throttle in the full-power position to ensure that the pilot receiving instruction did not try to abort the takeoff. He maintained wings level and lowered the nose as much as possible until the airplane cleared a ditch and then touched down in a vineyard. The airplane contacted the ground in a level attitude, turned sharply 90 degrees, and then travelled about 30 ft before stopping. The pilot receiving instruction reported that it was hot and humid, that the wind conditions were variable, and that the airplane was near its maximum gross weight. He added that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the combined effects of the pilot's use of an increased pitch attitude, the airplane's near maximum gross weight, and the environmental conditions degraded the airplane's climb performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.