Taylorcraft BC-12D N95907

Summary

On 4 August 1993 at about 00:30 local time, a Taylorcraft BC-12D registered N95907, operated by David B. Johnson, was involved in an accident near Tehachapi, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 August 1993 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tehachapi, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mountain Valley (L94)

Coordinates

35.1200, -118.5101

Aircraft

Taylorcraft BC-12D

Registration

N95907

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

David B. Johnson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Thermal

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93LA313

1 person died.

FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECTLY POSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED MARGIN ABOVE STALL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM A PREFLIGHT CHECK OR USE A PRETAKEOFF CHECKLIST, HIS FAILURE TO PROPERLY LOAD THE AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE WEIGHT AND CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITS, AND PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT PRIOR TO DARKNESS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS A TOW PLANE PILOT FOR SAILPLANES. ACCORDING TO HIS LOG BOOK, HE HAD PERFORMED 14 TOWS DURING THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING THE DAY HE HAD BORROWED SOME FUEL CONTAINERS TO PURCHASE AUTOMOBILE FUEL. HE THEN PLANNED TO DEPART IN THE EARLY EVENING FOR A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OF ABOUT 2 HRS. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OR LIGHTS. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE QUIT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE START TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY, AT WHICH TIME THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN ABOUT AN 80 DEG NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ALL 3 FUEL SELECTOR VALVES WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 29 LBS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT, AND THE AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT WAS EXCEEDED BY ABOUT 0.5 INCHES. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM A RUNUP OR MAGNETO CHECK PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS NOT DEVELOPING POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.