Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Wasta, SD
On November 6, 2004, a Taylorcraft BC12-D (airplane) was involved in an accident near Wasta, SD. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 6, 2004
- Place
- Wasta, SD
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 44.105°N, 102.938°W
- NTSB ID
- 20041109X01792
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 6, 2004, at 1634 mountain standard time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N39971, sustained a loss of engine power followed by a loss of control during a forced landing approach to a farm field in Wasta, South Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from the pilot's private airstrip 30 to 45 minutes prior to the accident. The pilot's wife stated she helped her husband fuel and preflight the airplane prior to him departing on the local flight. The pilot's son reported seeing the airplane's wing "wobble" when it was at an altitude of about 300 feet above the ground. The airplane then descended to impact with the terrain. He stated he was in a vehicle at the time and was unable to tell if the engine was operating. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a student pilot/third class medical certificate which was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on October 19, 2003. The certificate contained the limitation "Must wear lenses for distant, have glasses for near vision." The pilot reported having 35 hours of flight time on the application for this medical certificate. The pilot had previously held a student pilot/third class medical certificate which was issued on July 9, 2001. The pilot reported having 10 hours of flight time on the application for this medical certificate. The pilot's family stated they were unable to locate the pilot's logbook. The certified flight instructor (CFI
Probable cause
The pilot inadvertently pulled the fuel shut off valve resulting in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power. The pilot also failed to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in the airplane stalling.
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Browse: South Dakota · 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.
