- Date
- September 25, 2007, 14:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic, PA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N39263Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070925826419A
- Case key
- 66767
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 maintain aircraft control.
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
After completing the sale of the Taylorcraft BC-12D, the new owner, who was a private pilot, suggested to the previous student pilot owner that they fly the airplane. The student pilot got in the airplane and sat in the left seat and the private pilot occupied the right seat. After the student pilot did a preflight check and runup, they took off and joined the traffic pattern for landing. The approach was high. The airplane then touched down on the 2,000-foot grass strip and bounced. The student pilot initiated a go around; however, the airplane struck trees, decelerated, stalled, and then impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. The private pilot made no attempt to intervene.
Factual narrative
After completing the sale of the Taylorcraft BC-12D, the new owner, who was a private pilot, suggested to the previous student pilot owner that they fly the airplane. The student pilot got in the airplane and sat in the left seat and the private pilot occupied the right seat. After the student pilot did a preflight check and runup, they took off and joined the traffic pattern for landing. According to the private pilot, the approach was high. The airplane then touched down on the 2,000-foot grass strip and bounced. The student pilot initiated a go around; however, the airplane struck trees, decelerated, stalled, and then impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. The private pilot later stated that, the student pilot "was in command of the craft. I was just a passenger." He also stated that he would not have taken control without an "invitation" from the pilot in the left seat, and that this was a "rule" he had learned many years before.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39263
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6517
- Airframe hours
- 2,878.4
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2007
- Departed
- NONE · Atlantic, PA
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE, runway 9, 2,000 × ft, grass/turf
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 77
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 470 total · 120 in this make and model · 420 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- GKJ, 9 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.