# Accident 19990713009239A: Tcraft BC12D, Aitkin, MN, July 13, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 13, 1999, 12:00 local time
- Place: Aitkin, MN
- Airport: Aitkin Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.5296° N, 93.7090° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.5296&lon=-93.7090&mi=10
- Aircraft: N96884, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N96884) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Taylorcraft BC12-D (registry code 8850316, https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bc12-d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TCRAFT BC12D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA241) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990713009239A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDING. LOST CONTROL WHEN TAIL WHEEL SHIMMIED AND RIGHT GEAR BROKE OFF AND AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF RUNWAY. (.19) ON JULY 13, 1999, AT 1200 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A TAYLORCRAFT BC12-D, N96884, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A LANDING AT AITKIN MUNICIPAL-STEVE KURTZ FIELD AIRPORT, AITKIN, MINNESOTA.  THE COMMERCIAL RATED INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND DUAL STUDENT REPORTED NO INJURIES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT.  THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM AITKIN MUNICIPAL-STEVE KURTZ FIELD AIRPORT AT TIME UNKNOWN AND WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE STUDENT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON HIS SECOND LANDING.  HE SAID THAT HE NOTICED A WOBBLE AND WAS NOT SURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM.  HE SAID THAT THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD HIM TO "HIT" THE RUDDER PEDALS.  HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO AIRPLANE RESPONSE TO THE RUDDER INPUT.  HE SAID THAT THE INSTRUCTOR NEXT TOLD HIM TO USE THE BRAKES.  HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE VEERED HARD TO THE LEFT AFTER THE BRAKE INPUT AND CAME TO REST OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.  THE STUDENT SAID THAT ONE  OF THE TAILWHEEL STEERING SPRINGS WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED AND THE RIGHT AXLE WAS FOUND BROKEN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. (-23) DURING INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH STUDENT AT THE CONTROLS, STUDENT MADE A THREE POINT LANDING AND DURING ROLLOUT THE TAIL WHEEL STARTED SEVERE VIBRATION. STUDENT WAS INSTRUCTED TO ADD RIGHT RUDDER, AND WHEN THAT DID NOT CORRECT, STUDENT WAS INSTRUCTED TO APPLY BRAKES. WHEN BRAKES WERE ADDED, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUT BROKE. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND A/C DEPARTED RUNWAY. RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLOR, ALNDING GEAR AND RIGHT WING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI99LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA241), Jul 13, 1999: Taylorcraft BC12-D (N96884), Aitkin, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the right spring in the tailwheel assembly's separation. Factors were the fatigue in the landing gear, the maintenance personnel not identifying the fatigue during the annual inspection, and the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.