Taylorcraft BF12 N36299

Summary

On 25 July 2009 at about 16:30 local time, a Taylorcraft BF12 registered N36299 was involved in an accident near Sawyer, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 July 2009 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sawyer, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Southwest Lakes Airpark (PVT)

Coordinates

41.8908, -86.5883

Aircraft

Taylorcraft BF12

Registration

N36299

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sawyer → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA467

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while taking off from a short, grass runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot attempted a takeoff on a 1,400-foot-long grass runway and during initial climb the airplane's climb "stagnated." The pilot lowered the nose to increase controllability and speed, but there was no apparent improvement. The airplane descended and impacted terrain, which collapsed the main landing gear and spun the airplane around. The airplane sustained damage to the wing spar and empennage. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The takeoff weight, which was near the maximum gross weight of the airplane, the lack of a headwind, and the grass runway surface would have negatively affected the airplane's takeoff performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.