Taylorcraft Aviation CORP. F21 accident near Willow, Alaska, September 3, 2012
On September 3, 2012, a Taylorcraft Aviation CORP. F21, registered N2005E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Willow, Alaska (Willow Seaplane airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane after a loss of engine power during takeoff due to carburetor ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2012
- Place
- Willow, Alaska · Willow Seaplane · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft Aviation CORP. F21
- Registration
- N2005E · registry record · serial F-1015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff from a lake in a float-equipped airplane, the pilot said the airplane became airborne, but the engine began to lose power. The pilot said that he did not think the airplane would clear the trees at the end of the lake, so he started a right turn to stay over the water. As he steepened the turn, the airplane stalled and impacted the lake. The pilot said the outside temperature was about 55 degrees Fahrenheit and that it was raining. He reported that the more he thought about the circumstances, the more he believed that the loss of power was the result of carburetor ice. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing conditions at any engine power setting. No preaccident mechanical problems that would have precluded normal operation were reported.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,688 hours in all; 517 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,688 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 983 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2X2 Willow AK
- Destination: Seymore Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC12LA096.