Taylorcraft BC-65 accident near Leonardtown, Maryland, August 27, 1989
On August 27, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC-65, registered N24463, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leonardtown, Maryland (St Marys County 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT BY NOT ASSURING THAT THE ACFT WAS PROPERLY SECURED, OR THAT SOMEONE WAS AT THE CONTROLS WHILE HE WAS HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Leonardtown, Maryland · St Marys County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC-65 · all BC-65s on the register
- Registration
- N24463 · registry record · serial 1800
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TO START THE ENG, THE PLT CHOCKED THE LEFT WHEEL & HAND PROPPED THE ACFT WITH THE THROTTLE SET AT IDLE. HOWEVER, AFTER THE ENG STARTED, ITS RPM WENT ABOVE IDLE & THE ACFT JUMPED THE CHOCK. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED ACFT & A RWY LIGHT BEFORE THE PLT CAUGHT THE PLANE & SHUT DOWN THE ENG. HE HAD PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE ENG EARLIER THAT DAY & HAD IMPROPERLY SECURED THE THROTTLE CLAMP, WHICH ALLOWED THE THROTTLE CABLE TO SLIP TO A HIGHER RPM SETTING.
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: 308 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 259 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,103 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1989; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2W6
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.