Taylorcraft BC12D and Cessna 150C accident near Statesboro, Georgia, May 11, 1991
On May 11, 1991 at about 6:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Taylorcraft BC12D (N95170) and Cessna 150C (N21920), were involved in the same accident near Statesboro, Georgia (Statesboro Municipal airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO PERFORM A VISUAL LOOKOUT SUFFICIENTLY ADEQUATE TO AVOID A COLLISION AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N95170 TO COMMUNICATE ON THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) AND TO PROVIDE INBOUND TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.
FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO PERFORM A VISUAL LOOKOUT SUFFICIENTLY ADEQUATE TO AVOID A COLLISION AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N95170 TO COMMUNICATE ON THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) AND TO PROVIDE INBOUND TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1991 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Statesboro, Georgia · Statesboro Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Taylorcraft BC12D · all BC12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N95170 · no longer on the register · serial 9570
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 150C · all 150Cs on the register
- Registration
- N21920 · no longer on the register · serial 15074537
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Taylorcraft BC12D final · quoted from the NTSB record
TAYLORCRAFT BC12D, N95170, ENTERED A STANDARD TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 14 AT ABT THE SAME TIME CESSNA 150, N21920, WAS MNVRD FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING ON RWY 5. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 2 RWYS. THE TAYLORCRAFT PLT SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE CESSNA BEFORE IMPACT. THE CESSNA PLT OBTAINED AN ARPT ADZY (FM UNICOM) & WAS ADZD OF WORK ON THE END OF RWY 14. HE SAID HE WAS TOLD THAT RWY 5 WAS THE ACTIVE RWY & THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER REPORTED TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. ALSO, THE CESSNA PLT SAID THAT HE MADE AN ADZY CALL ON A 2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 5, THEN ANOTHER ADZY CALL ON SHORT FINAL APCH, BUT DID NOT HEAR ANY ADZY CALLS FROM THE TAYLORCRAFT. THE CESSNA PLT SAW THE TAYLORCRAFT JUST BFR IMPACT & ATMTD TO AVOID A COLLISION BY INITIATING A GO-AROUND. HOWEVER, THE CESSNA DID NOT GAIN ENOUGH ALT & IT STRUCK THE TAYLORCRAFT. THE AIM STATED THAT STANDARD TFC PATTERN ENTRY AT UNCTLD ARPTS WAS FM A 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE DOWNWIND LEG. AIM ALSO RCMDD INBND TFC ADZYS BE MADE 10 MI OUT & ENTERING DOWNWIND, BASE & FINAL APCH.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150C final · quoted from the NTSB record
TAYLORCRAFT BC12D, N95170, ENTERED A STANDARD TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 14 AT ABT THE SAME TIME CESSNA 150, N21920, WAS MNVRD FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING ON RWY 5. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 2 RWYS. THE TAYLORCRAFT PLT SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE CESSNA BEFORE IMPACT. THE CESSNA PLT OBTAINED AN ARPT ADZY (FM UNICOM) & WAS ADZD OF WORK ON THE END OF RWY 14. HE SAID HE WAS TOLD THAT RWY 5 WAS THE ACTIVE RWY & THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER REPORTED TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. ALSO, THE CESSNA PLT SAID THAT HE MADE AN ADZY CALL ON A 2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 5, THEN ANOTHER ADZY CALL ON SHORT FINAL APCH, BUT DID NOT HEAR ANY ADZY CALLS FROM THE TAYLORCRAFT. THE CESSNA PLT SAW THE TAYLORCRAFT JUST BFR IMPACT & ATMTD TO AVOID A COLLISION BY INITIATING A GO-AROUND. HOWEVER, THE CESSNA DID NOT GAIN ENOUGH ALT & IT STRUCK THE TAYLORCRAFT. THE AIM STATED THAT STANDARD TFC PATTERN ENTRY AT UNCTLD ARPTS WAS FM A 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE DOWNWIND LEG. AIM ALSO RCMDD INBND TFC ADZYS BE MADE 10 MI OUT & ENTERING DOWNWIND, BASE & FINAL APCH.
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 for the Taylorcraft BC12D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 454 hours in all; 126 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 411 as pilot in command; 48 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 56J Sylvania GA at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from SAV, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 150C from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 238 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command; 84 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1990; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 56J Sylvania GA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,382 ft by 100 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.