N106STemco GC-1B · 1946

On April 29, 2012, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Temco GC-1B, N106S, operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged while ditching in a river, following a partial loss of engine power during climb near Dayton, Tennessee. The certificated private pilot incurred minor injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed Mark Anton Airport (2A0), Dayton, Tennessee, about 1615.

The two-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear tailwheel airplane, serial number 2221, was manufactured in 1946. It was powered by a Continental C-145, 145-horsepower engine, equipped with a McCauley two-bladed fixed pitch propeller. According to the aircraft logbooks, it's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 3, 2011. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 1800.3 total hours of operation and the engine had accumulated 14.0 hours of operation since major overhaul. The airplane had been operated for approximately 7 hours from the time of that inspection, until the accident.

The pilot reported that the airplane had been involved in another accident about 1 year prior to the most recent accident, and he purchased the wreckage from the previous owner. He finished repairing the airplane and registered it in his name about 2 weeks prior to the most recent accident. The day of the accident was the first time the airplane had been flown since completion of the repairs. The pilot fueled the airplane to its maximum capacity of 27 gallons and performed several ground runs. During the ground runs, he noticed a rough running engine, consistent with a "rough mag," which he corrected with a lean mixture. He did not experience any other anomalies and completed several local flights uneventfully, which included about eight takeoffs and landings during approximately 2 total hours of operation. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot "topped off" the fuel tanks again with 10 gallons of aviation gasoline.

After flying approximately 15 minutes around the local area, the airplane was climbing through 500 feet above ground level over a river, when the engine developed a slight roughness and lost power. Specifically, the engine power decreased from 2,300 rpm to 800 rpm. The pilot activated the fuel boost pump and applied carburetor heat; however, the engine did not regain power. He also verified the throttle, mixture, and magnetos were in the correct setting. Due to the low altitude at the time of the power loss, the pilot subsequently performed a forced landing and ditched into the river. The wreckage was recovered from the river 3 days later.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the impact had partially separated the left wing at the root, and completely separated the carburetor, which was not recovered. The inspector noted that water had intruded into the fuel tanks and the engine. The inspector did not observe any other damage to the engine.

The pilot subsequently examined the engine and did not observe any mechanical malfunctions. He was able to rotate the crankshaft by hand, and establish continuity to the rear accessory section of the engine. He was unable to produce spark with the magnetos, but they had been submerged in water for 3 days. The pilot further stated that while flying low-level and pulling 2 or 3 g's, he may have somehow affected the carburetor; however, the carburetor was never recovered for examination.

The recorded weather at an airport located approximately 25 miles south of the accident site, about the time of the accident, included scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, visibility 10 miles, temperature 84 degrees F, and dew point 61 degrees F. Review of an FAA Carburetor Icing Chart, for the given temperature and dew point, revealed that the airplane was subject to serious icing at glide power.

During the takeoff roll, an uncommanded left yaw could not be corrected with control inputs, so the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. During rollout, the airplane departed the left side of the runway, and the landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing spar. Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that a "nicopress" fitting on the right rudder cable had failed, and disconnected from its bell-crank. According to the Inspector, the cable fitting had been pressed with an improper tool or technique at installation. The airplane's entire flight control system was refitted and re-rigged approximately 9 years prior to the accident.