20041106029999A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Tcraft BC12-D · Owanka, SD · November 6, 2004

Date: November 6, 2004 · 16:34 local
Place: Owanka, SD
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N39971
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI05LA023
Reported as: Tcraft BC12D
Reported engine: Continental A65*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Student

N39971Registration cancelled Sep 20, 2007 · Taylorcraft BC12-DS/N 6630 · Built 1945 Airframe modelTaylorcraft BC12-D Engine modelContinental A&C65 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The student pilot was flying over his property and was returning for a landing just before sundown when the accident occurred. The pilot's son witnessed the accident and reported the aircraft came down at a steep angle. He was in a vehicle and could not tell if there was any sound from the engine. The aircraft impacted at a high angle of descent. One blade of the wooden propeller was not damaged. The fuel shutoff was found in the off position.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE STUDENT PILOT WAS FLYING OVER HIS PROPERTY AND WAS RETURNING FOR A LANDING JUST BEFORE SUNDOWN WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT'S SON WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT AND REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN AT A STEEP ANGLE. HE WAS IN A VEHICLE AND COULD NOT TELL IF THERE WAS ANY SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED AT A HIGH ANGLE OF DESCENT. ONE BLADE OF THE WOODEN PROPELLER WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE FUEL SHUTOFF WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI05LA023Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportWasta, SDThe 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.Nov 6, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N39971 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20010727020249AWall, SD(.19) On July 27, 2001, at 1800 central daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N39971, sustained substantial damage during landing roll when it nosed over in a field. The 14 CFR part 91 business flight had departed from a private airstrip en route to the Wall…Jul 27, 2001 · No damage