# NTSB ANC00LA065: Taylorcraft BC-12D, N43863, Nenana, AK, May 26, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 25, 2000, 21:00 local (May 26, 2000, 05:00 UTC) - Place: Nenana, AK - Coordinates: 64.47026, -148.570892 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.4703&lon=-148.5709&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 50963 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50963/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA065 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. A factor in this accident was the tailwind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with weather, takeoff - roll/run - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, takeoff - aborted ## Analysis The pilot said he was making his seventh practice takeoff from the approximately 950 feet long by 45 feet wide landing area which was located at the bottom of a bluff. He indicated that the airplane did not become airborne after 500 feet, so he reduced the power to idle and applied full braking to stop. He said the airplane nosed over, damaging the tail, rudder, and wing struts. The pilot added that when he climbed out of the airplane, he realized the accident takeoff roll was downwind. ## Factual narrative On May 25, 2000, about 2100 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Taylorcraft BC-12D airplane, N43863, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during an aborted takeoff from a private, gravel bar airstrip on the Tanana River, about 18 miles east of Nenana, Alaska, at 64 degrees, 40 minutes north latitude, 148 degrees, 30 minutes west longitude. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge, during a telephone interview on June 6, that he was making his seventh practice takeoff from the approximately 950 feet long by 45 feet wide landing area which was located at the bottom of a bluff. He indicated that the airplane did not become airborne after 500 feet, so he reduced the power to idle and applied full braking to stop. He said the airplane nosed over, damaging the tail, rudder, and wing struts. The pilot added that when he climbed out of the airplane, he realized the accident takeoff roll was downwind. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N43863](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N43863), registered now, S/N 7522 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Taylorcraft BC-12D - Registry model: [Taylorcraft BC12-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bc12-d) (registry code 8850316) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7522 - Engines: Continental O-200 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Wesley L. Alexander - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Destination: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK - Airport: runway 36, 950 × 60 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 860 total, 570 in this make and model, 714 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 100 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000525010259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000525010259A), May 25, 2000: Tcraft BC12D, Nenana, AK, No damage. (-23) Pilot left fai, flew to enn, departed enn and on return flight to fai stopped at his fish camp on the tanna river, and made some landings. He had a wind… ## Other investigations on N43863 (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 CHI67F0165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI67F0165), Jun 22, 1966: Taylorcraft BC12-D (N43863), Alma, MI, substantial damage 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. --- 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.