Taylorcraft BC12-65 accident near Danbury, Connecticut, July 18, 1993
On July 18, 1993 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-65, registered N34009, was destroyed in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut (Danbury Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNDETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1993 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danbury Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-65 · all BC12-65s on the register
- Registration
- N34009 · no longer on the register · serial 2860
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS GOING TO REMAIN IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR THE FLIGHT. HE WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 26, AND TO REPORT WHEN HE WAS ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. NO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE PILOT AFTER TAKEOFF. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BELOW THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHERE AN AIRPLANE MIGHT TURN FROM THE CROSSWIND LEG TO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE PATTERN. AN AIRPLANE ALTITUDE AT THAT LOCATION IS ABOUT 400 FT ABOVE THE TERRAIN. THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT INDICATED THAT THE DRUGS FLUOXETINE AND NORFLUOXETINE WERE DETECTED IN THE PILOT'S SYSTEM. THE PILOT'S PERSONAL MEDICAL RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE PILOT WAS PRESCRIBED THE DRUG PROZAC FOR TREATMENT OF MILD DEPRESSION.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,561 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 1,787 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 781 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 1993; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,425 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:01 pm from DXR, 1 miles away
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.