Taylorcraft BC12-D N39971

Summary

On 27 July 2001 at about 22:30 local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D registered N39971 was involved in an accident near Wall, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 July 2001 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Wall, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Wall Airport (6V4)

Coordinates

43.9908, -102.2303

Aircraft

Taylorcraft BC12-D

Registration

N39971

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Owanka → Wall

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA254

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot failed to maintain a proper glidepath, failed to obtain proper climb rate, and executed the go-around improperly. Additional factors included the pilot's lack of experience, the crop, and the soft, wet ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane sustained substantial damage during landing roll when it nosed over in a wheat field after attempting to land on a runway (3,500 feet by 60 feet), but impacted the terrain about 150 yards past the runway. The airplane nosed over in the soft, wet ground. The student solo pilot reported he planned on doing a "wheel landing" to the first 1/4 of the runway. He used an approach speed of 65 mph. He reported the airplane floated down the runway and when he saw the end of the runway coming up, he elected to do a "go around." He applied full power and the engine sounded normal. He reported the airplane "just would not climb," and that the airplane did not climb more than "16 feet off the ground." He reported, "The controls were not very effective when the right wing was up and then I crashed." The student pilot's total flight time was 38.6 hours, and all of it had been flown in the accident airplane. He reported he had used automobile gas in the airplane, although no Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) had been issued to the airplane for the use of auto gas. The pilot reported the engine was running smooth; it did not "cough" when full power was applied; and it did not have carburetor ice. The pilot reported the winds were calm and the temperature was 85 degrees F. The elevation at 6V4 is 2,810 feet. The density altitude was about 5,031 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.