Event ERA17LA020

Factual narrative

On October 17, 2016, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N94919, was substantially damaged following a total loss of engine power during takeoff and subsequent forced landing at Brook Bridge Aerodrome (8GA9), Vaughn, Georgia. The flight instructor and a student pilot incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the flight instructor, their intention was to fly the airplane around the traffic pattern for a few touch-and-go landings prior to departing for North Carolina, where the airplane would be hangered. The flight instructor taxied the airplane up and down the runway three times to get himself and the student pilot comfortable with tail wheel handling before takeoff. The flight instructor then taxied to the end of the runway and performed the engine run-up. He stated that shortly after takeoff, approximately 30 feet above ground level, the engine started losing power and seconds later lost all power. The flight instructor tried to land the airplane on the runway, however he "landed hard" and the left main landing gear separated. The left wing tip struck the ground, and the engine compartment and propeller struck the runway before the airplane ground-looped and the right main landing gear separated. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the left wing main spar was fractured mid-wing. Both main landing gear were separated. The propeller had one blade bent aft around the engine cowling and the other blade was straight. Examination of the engine did not reveal any obvious mechanical deficiencies. Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on August 28, 2016, at a recorded total airframe time of 2911.3 hours. The engine time since major overhaul was recorded as 62.5 hours. The recorded weather at Griffin-Spalding County Airport (6A2), located 7 miles to the southeast of 8GA9, at 1055 was, wind 170° at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 24° Celsius (C), dew point temperature 18° C, altimeter 30.14 inches of mercury. The temperature and dew point were plotted on the carburetor icing probability chart. Their intersection was within the serious icing range for glide power. The flight instructor reported that he was going to perform several touch-and-go landings with a student pilot before departing for a long cross-country flight. After taxiing up and down the runway a few times, he performed an engine run-up with no anomalies noted. During takeoff, when the airplane was about 30 ft above ground level, the engine started to lose power and then seconds later lost total power. The flight instructor tried to land the airplane on the runway but landed hard. The left main landing gear separated, and the left gear contacted the runway and fractured the main spar. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions were conductive to the accumulation of serious carburetor ice at glide power settings; however, the loss of engine power occurred during a full power setting. The investigation could not determine if carburetor ice accumulated during the prior ground operation. Thus, the reason for the total loss of engine power could not be determined. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined - C