- Date
- November 17, 2002, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Albion, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5066MTaylorcraft BC12-D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 13, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA -- Detroit FSDO
- FAA report
- 20021117033699A
- Case key
- 56088
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
A failure by the pilot to maintain sufficient airspeed while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the resulting stall/spin, the relatively low altitude and the soft terrain encountered.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported making several patterns in the local area at 500~800 feet agl. After the last pass, the pilot stated that he entered a left turn and inadvertently stalled the airplane. As the airplane began to enter a spin, he notes that he "took corrective action to regain control of the aircraft.". Although he reported recovering from the stall/spin, he was unable to arrest the resulting descent. The airplane impacted a soft, muddy field in a relatively level attitude.
Factual narrative
On November 17, 2002, at 1545 eastern standard time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N5066M, owned and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following an inadvertant stall/spin while maneuvering. The accident occurred approximately 2 miles east of Albion, Michigan. The local flight originated at 1530 est from a private airstrip, located approximately 3 miles northeast of Albion, Michigan. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported minor injuries and the single passenger on-board reported no injuries.
In his written statement, the pilot reported making several patterns in the local area at altitudes of 500 to 800 feet agl for the purpose of spotting deer. After the last pass, which was approximately 500 feet agl, the pilot stated that he entered a left turn and inadvertently stalled the airplane. As the airplane began to enter a spin, he notes that he "took corrective action to regain control of the aircraft." Although the pilot reported recovering from the stall/spin, he was unable to arrest the resulting descent. He stated "As I leveled out the plane from the spin, we went into the thick brush." The airplane impacted a soft, muddy area in a relatively level attitude and slid approximately 20 feet before coming to a rest.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5066M
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 10366
- Airframe hours
- 2,665
- Engine
- Continental A&C 65 Series, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 3, 2002 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- N/A · Albion, MI
- Airport
- ---
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
- 46
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 4, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 476 total · 442 in this make and model · 26 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- JXN, 11 nm away
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 N5066M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.