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Accidents · NTSB ATL91LA107 · Final report

Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Spring Creek, North Carolina, June 5, 1991

On June 5, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N96743, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spring Creek, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS AND TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/MUSH. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND, OBSTRUCTIONS, AND TERRAIN CONDITION.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
June 5, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
Place
Spring Creek, North Carolina · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
Registration
N96743 · registry record · serial 9043
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 THIS WAS HIS THIRD FLIGHT OF THE DAY. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE INITIATED A TURN TO AVOID SOME POWER LINES AND A HILL. HE DID NOT MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE AIRPLANE MUSHED INTO A NEARBY HAY FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE SHIFTING AT THE TIME, AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A TAILWIND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.

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: private
  • Ratings: single-engine land
  • Flight time: 239 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 209 as pilot in command
  • Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: unk

The aircraft

  • Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
  • Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
  • Seats: 2
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Continental A-65-B (piston); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 0

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Visibility: 15 statute miles
  • Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1
Passengers1

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.

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 ATL91LA107.