# Incident 20210303001119I: Taylorcraft BC12-D, Girdwood, AK, March 3, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 3, 2021, 15:50 local time
- Place: Girdwood, AK
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.2334° N, 147.8502° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2334&lon=-147.8502&mi=10
- Aircraft: N43300, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N43300) (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: TAYLORCRAFT BC12-D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 6,500 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC21LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA023) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210303001119I

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS CONDUCTING SKI OPERATIONS ON HARVARD GLACIER. THE PILOT HAD CONDUCTED OPERATIONS SUCCESSFULLY NUMBER OF TIMES AT THIS LOCATION, THE MOST RECENT WAS THE WEEK PRIOR. DUE TO DEEP SNOW THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR TAKEOFF OFF THE GLARIER AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. ON THE RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE POINT, THE AIRCRAFT SKI SUNK INTO AN UNSEEN HOLE IN THE SNOW. THIS CAUSED THE SKI TO FOLD UNDER THE AIRCRAFT AND DAMAGED BOTH WING STRUTS. NO OTHER DAMAGE DETECTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GLACIER BY HELICOPTER AND RETURNED TO GIRDWOOD. AIRCRAFT IS WAITING FOR INSURANCE TO INSPECT FOR ANY FURTHER DAMAGE AND THEN REPAIRS WILL BE MADE. THE PILOT/OWNER STATED THAT ONLY MINOR DAMAGE HAD HAPPEN AND BELIEVES THE REPAIRS WILL BE QUICK. THE PILOT HAS 6500 TOTAL TIME WITH 550 HOURS IN THIS AIRCRAFT. HE HAD ALREADY LOGGED 2.5 THAT DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT.

## 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 ANC21LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA023), Mar 4, 2021: Taylorcraft BC12-D (N43300), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for taxi, which resulted in the airplane encountering a crevasse.

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.