Taylorcraft BC12-65 accident near Columbia, Tennessee, November 11, 2023
On November 11, 2023 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1941 Taylorcraft BC12-65, registered N29868, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Columbia, Tennessee (Hunter airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to an accumulation of carburetor ice, resulting in an off-airport landing and substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 2023 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, Tennessee · Hunter · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-65, built 1941 · all BC12-65s on the register
- Registration
- N29868 · registry record · serial 2719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was preparing for takeoff after the engine had been running for about 25 minutes. Before departing, he tested the carburetor heat and noted that it was functioning as expected. He applied power for takeoff and the engine accelerated “strongly and smoothly.” About 25-30 ft above the ground during the initial climb the engine suddenly lost about 1,000 rpm. The pilot elected to perform an off-field landing. He maneuvered to avoid a hedgerow and the airplane touched down in an in an area of high grass. During the landing sequence, the fuselage and right wing were substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the engine and fuel system did not reveal evidence of a preexisting anomaly or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The temperature/dew point at the time of the accident was in the range for serious carburetor icing at cruise power. While the pilot described checking the functionality of the carburetor heat before as part of his normal preflight checks, and leaving it on for “a little longer” than normal as a part of that process, given all available information, it is likely that the temperature of the carburetor dropped during the extended operation of the engine while on the ground, and that during takeoff, the carburetor accumulated ice to a point that resulted in the partial loss of engine power.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fuel related during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,753 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,519 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2023
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,567.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,280 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: KM29 Clifton TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05/2, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 8:10 am from KMRC, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMRC 111410Z AUTO 03006KT 9SM CLR 09/02 A3032 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA24LA032.