- Date
- May 30, 1988, 14:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Eloy, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N27463Taylorcraft BL65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880530016249A
- Case key
- 25837
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft during takeoff climb resulting in an inadvertent spiral. Contributing to this accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in the aircraft make and model.
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
Shortly after takeoff, during takeoff climb, aircraft was observed out of control spiralling to ground. Pilot had restored the aircraft and had only 12 hours of flight experience in make and model. Pilot had failed his first flight test for private pilot rating 17 months prior to accident. Improper use of flight controls during stall recovery was cited in notice of disapproval. There was no record of pilot receiving formal training in accident aircraft make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27463
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BL65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2105
- Airframe hours
- 2,177
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John T. Kell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 18, 1988 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- E60 · Eloy, AZ
- Airport
- E60
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 103 total · 12 in this make and model · 60 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 13 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUS, 50 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.