- Date
- November 2, 2015, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- New Lisbon, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N33939Taylorcraft BC12 65
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20151102022119A
- Case key
- 92391
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, resulting in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall 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
According to the pilot, immediately after takeoff, the wind speed increased and he elected to complete one pattern and land. With a right quartering head wind, the pilot touched down yet reported that a wind gust made the airplane veer to the right side of the runway. He recalled that he applied full power and aborted the landing. The pilot reported that when he "looked out of the windshield", he realized the airplane was on a heading to impact the airfield hangars, so he turned the airplane to the left, the airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing strut and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation. The wind at the nearest weather reporting station reported wind from 210 degrees true at 7 knots, with no gusts, and the departure runway heading was 14.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, immediately after takeoff, the wind speed increased and he elected to complete one pattern and land. With a right quartering head wind, the pilot touched down yet reported that a wind gust made the airplane veer to the right side of the runway. He recalled that he applied full power and aborted the landing. The pilot reported that when he "looked out of the windshield", he realized the airplane was on a heading to impact the airfield hangars, so he turned the airplane to the left, the airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing strut and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation. The wind at the nearest weather reporting station reported wind from 210 degrees true at 7 knots, with no gusts, and the departure runway heading was 14.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33939
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12 65 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2789
- Built
- 1941
- Airframe hours
- 2,095.8
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Zindorf, Chris M.
- Registered owner
- Larson, Landon F.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 2, 2015
- Departed
- 82C · New Lisbon, WI
- Destination
- 82C · New Lisbon, WI
- Airport
- 82C · Mauston-New Lisbon Union, runway 14, 3,688 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 74
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- October 14, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 610 total · 9 in this make and model · 557 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- KVOK, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.