Taylorcraft 15A accident near Somerset, Pennsylvania, October 7, 2002
On October 7, 2002 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Taylorcraft 15A, registered N6652N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerset, Pennsylvania (Somerset County Airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic's failure to discover several mechanical deficiencies during a pre-buy inspection, which either independently or collectively resulted in a subsequent engine failure. A factor was the power lines in the forced landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2002 · about 6:40 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Somerset, Pennsylvania · Somerset County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft 15A · all 15As on the register
- Registration
- N6652N · no longer on the register · serial 5-14019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and the commercial pilot/owner had traveled to Maryland to inspect and pick-up the newly purchased airplane, and fly it back to Michigan. The commercial pilot was not current in the airplane and asked the flight instructor to accompany him and provide flight instruction while en route. As part of the pre-sale agreement, the seller hired a certificated airframe and power plant mechanic to perform an airworthiness inspection of the airplane, which included a compression check and fabric test. The mechanic endorsed the airplane's logbook for Day-VFR flight only. The day before the accident, the flight instructor flew the airplane, and afterwards, queried the seller about its slow climb rate. The seller told the flight instructor that the airplane, "was not a great performer", and a normal climb airspeed was between 60-70 miles per hour (mph), and between 95-100 mph during cruise flight. The flight instructor and pilot departed, and flew to their first intended fueling stop. During the flight, the indicated cruise airspeed was lower than expected. After landing, the airplane was filled with fuel, and prepared for the next leg of the flight. After take-off, the airplane would not climb, and only got to about 200 feet agl before it started to descend. The flight instructor took the control of the airplane and turned it to the left and right to avoid obstacles; however, the airplane struck 40-foot power lines and fell to the ground. Examination of the engine revealed low compression on the #3 cylinder, and no compression on the #5 cylinder. The air filter was found clogged with debris, and when the throttle was placed in the full forward position, the carburetor butterfly valve only opened about 1/3 of the way.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,025 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 12,107 as pilot in command; 1,162 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 7, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, recreational
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,809 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,075 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2G9 Somerset PA at 6:38 pm
- Destination: 3BS Midland MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,697 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from JST, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6652N: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Taylorcraft 15 9 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Taylorcraft 1,897 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental C145 1,828 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Somerset County · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Pennsylvania 1,836 since 1982 · 235 in the last ten years
- Pennsylvania 6,191 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/IAD03LA002.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.