Temco GC-1B accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky, August 8, 1986
On August 8, 1986 at about 9:49 pm local time, a Temco GC-1B, registered N78261, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky (Bowling Green-Warren CO. airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1986 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Kentucky · Bowling Green-Warren CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Temco GC-1B · all GC-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N78261 · registry record · serial 2261
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT REPORTED THAT HE FAILED TO REPOSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM AUXILLARY FUEL TANK TO MAIN FUEL TANK DURING THE LANDING CHECK. ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,392 hours in all; 574 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 1,233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,086 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 8, 1986; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,710 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DNV Danville IL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CSV Crossville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,956 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from BWG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.