Taylorcraft BL12 accident near Sitka, AK
On April 28, 1998, a Taylorcraft BL12 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sitka, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 28, 1998
- Place
- Sitka, AK
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BL12 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 56.730°N, 134.999°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X09788
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 27, 1998, at an estimated time of 2010 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Taylorcraft BL12 airplane, N33902, was destroyed during a collision with mountainous terrain, about 7 miles northeast of Sitka, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to, and operated by the pilot. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. A VFR flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the Yakutat Airport, Yakutat, Alaska, about 1000. On April 26, 1998, at 0829:13, the pilot contacted the Kenai, Alaska, Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), and requested a weather briefing. The pilot said his route of flight was from Anchorage, Alaska, to Cordova, Alaska, to Yakutat, and then to Sitka. The AFSS specialist provided a full briefing that included AIRMETs for mountain obscuration, moderate turbulence below 6,000 feet, and temporary moderate rime icing in clouds, from 4,000 feet to 12,000 feet. The airplane departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, on April 26, 1998, at 1107. The pilot did not file a flight plan. Airport personnel in Yakutat reported the pilot arrived about 1700. On April 27, 1998, at 0821:41, the pilot contacted the Juneau, Alaska, AFSS, and obtained a weather briefing for the flight from Yakutat to Sitka. The AFSS specialist provided a standard weather briefing that included an advisory for mountain obscuration and precipitation. The pilot did not file a flight plan. The pilot purchased 13.6
Probable cause
The pilot's attempted VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were clouds, the pilot's lack of instrument flight experience, obscuration and mountainous terrain.
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Browse: Alaska · Taylorcraft aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
