Taylorcraft BC12-D1 accident near Willow, Alaska, May 18, 2025
On May 18, 2025 at about 10:12 pm local time, a 1946 Taylorcraft BC12-D1, registered N44473, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Willow, 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 visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent application of brakes during landing, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2025 · about 10:12 pm local time
- Place
- Willow, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D1, built 1946 · all BC12-D1s on the register
- Registration
- N44473 · registry record · serial 10273
- 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 landing on a sandy gravel bar in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane bounced slightly during touchdown. Subsequently, the pilot inadvertently applied the brakes, and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing lift strut, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 465.7 hours in all; 340.3 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 8.3 in the last 30 days; 396.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,085.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 2025; 10.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2D3 Palmer AK at 8:52 pm
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from AWS, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAWS 182156Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM BKN075 13/06 A2982 RMK AO2 SLPNO T01330061
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC25LA039.