# Accident 20041122034349A: Tcraft BC12D, Cocoa Beach, FL, November 22, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 22, 2004, 15:26 local time
- Place: Cocoa Beach, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.3247° N, 80.6186° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3247&lon=-80.6186&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44263, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44263) (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
- Reported engine: CONT C8512F
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,859 total, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA05LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05LA033) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041122034349A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WITNESSES AT A SCHOOL AND A CITY FACILITY ADJACENT TO THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY FLEW OVER THE AREA AT LOW ALTITUDE AND LOW SPEED THEN LEFT THE AREA TO THE NORTH FOR A FEW MINUTES. ONE OF THE WITNESSES, A TEACHER, REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE FLEW RIGHT OVER HER AND A GROUP OF CHILDREN ON THE PLAYGROUND BEHIND THE SCHOOL BEFORE HEADING OUT OF SIGHT. WHEN THE AIRPLANE RETURNED A FEW MINUTES LATER, IT WAS HEADING SOUTH AT LOW ALTITUDE AND AT A LOW POWER SETTING. IT THEN BEGAN A LEFT TURN AND CIRCLED THE AREA. AS IT WAS TURNING BACK TO THE NORTH, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO AN OPEN SPORTS FIELD BEHIND THE SCHOOL AND BOUNCED ONCE BEFORE COMING TO REST ON A FENCE ABOUT 100 FEET PAST THE INITIAL (LEFT MAIN GEAR AND LEFT WING TIP) IMPACT POINT. THE PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND LATER INTERVIEWED BY TELEPHONE. HE DID NOT RECALL EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, BUT REPORTED TO THE NTSB IIC THAT HE DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. A SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPT TO TEST RUN THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT HIS TOTAL TIME IN THIS AIRCRAFT MODEL.        (-23 AMENDMENT) WITNESSES AT A SCHOOL AND A FACILITY ADJACENT TO THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY FLEW OVER THE AREA AT LOW ALTITUDE AND LOW SPEED THEN LEFT THE AREA TO THE NORTH FOR A FEW MINUTES. ONE WITNESS, A TEACHER'S AIDE, REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE FLEW ALMOST DIRECTLY OVER HER AND A GROUP OF CHILDREN ON THE PLAYGROUND BEHIND THE SCHOOL BEFORE HEADING OUT OF SIGHT. WHEN IT RETURNED A FEW MINUTES LATER, IT WAS HEADING SOUTH AT LOW ALTITUDE & A LOW POWER SETTING, THEN BEGAN A LEFT TURN. AS IT TURNED, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND CRASHED INTO A SPORTS FIELD BEHIND THE SCHOOL, AND BOUNCED ONCE BEFORE COMING TO REST ABOUT 100 FEET PAST THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE REPORTED TEMP AND DEW POINT AT THE TIME WERE 26 AND 21 DEG. C RESPECTIVELY. THE PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH SERIOUS INJURIES FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND LATER INTERVIEWED BY PHONE. HE DID NOT RECALL EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, BUT STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. A SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPT TO TEST RUN THE ENGINE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE ENGINE COULD DEVELOP SUFFICIENT POWER TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS 3 WEEKS PAST DUE FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.

## 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 MIA05LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05LA033), Nov 22, 2004: Taylorcraft BC12-D (N44263), Cocoa Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain altitude resulting in flight collision with ground and subsequent collision with fence.

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.

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