- Date
- September 12, 2023, 18:30 local (Sep 13, 2023, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N95250Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230912014619A
- Case key
- 193070
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall; loss of airplane control; and impact with terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while attempting to climb and turn out of a narrow valley in an area of mountainous terrain, the airplane’s control inputs felt sluggish. Realizing that the airplane might stall, the pilot stopped the turn to avoid a stall but continued to climb to avoid rising terrain ahead. Subsequently, the airplane stalled and impacted terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95250
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9650
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,600
- Engine
- Continental A75-8, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 12, 2023
- Departed
- PABV · Chugiak, AK
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 11, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 156.2 total · 45 in this make and model · 97.8 as pilot in command · 28.6 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.63 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 12 nm away
- METAR
- PAAQ 130153Z VRB05KT 10SM OVC090 12/05 A2963 RMK AO2 SLP038 T01170050
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N95250 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.