Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Palmer, Alaska, September 13, 2023
On September 13, 2023 at about 2:30 am local time, a 1946 Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N95250, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall; loss of airplane control; and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2023 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D, built 1946 · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N95250 · registry record · serial 9650
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while attempting to climb and turn out of a narrow valley in an area of mountainous terrain, the airplane’s control inputs felt sluggish. Realizing that the airplane might stall, the pilot stopped the turn to avoid a stall but continued to climb to avoid rising terrain ahead. Subsequently, the airplane stalled and impacted terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Attain/maintain not possible
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 156.2 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 28.6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 97.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A75-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PABV Chugiak AK at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PAAQ, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAAQ 130153Z VRB05KT 10SM OVC090 12/05 A2963 RMK AO2 SLP038 T01170050
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N95250 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC23LA077.