- Date
- June 21, 2019, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Yerington, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N49368Taylorcraft BC12
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 99689
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 failure to properly secure the airplane before hand propping it, which resulted in the unmanned airplane moving and colliding with a fence.
Findings · 2
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, before attempting to take off, he tied a rope to the airplane's tail and then hand propped the airplane. The engine started, and "the rope snapped." Subsequently, the unmanned airplane started moving and then impacted a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot in tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, he tied a rope to the tail of his airplane and hand-propped the airplane. The engine started and "the rope snapped." Subsequently, the unmanned airplane collided with a chain-link fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49368
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7692
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 4,245.54
- Engine
- Continental C-85-8F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 8, 2019
- Departed
- VGT · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- RTS · Reno, NV
- Airport
- O43 · Yerington Muni
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 3, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,287 total · 1,313 in this make and model · 3,252 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Observed at
- KMEV, 28 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB in all.
Other investigations on N49368 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.