Taylorcraft BC12-65 accident near Flushing, Michigan, July 31, 2009
On July 31, 2009 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-65, registered N77FJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Flushing, Michigan (Dalton Airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate descent rate and airspeed on final resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2009 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Flushing, Michigan · Dalton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-65 · all BC12-65s on the register
- Registration
- N77FJ · registry record · serial 2808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he used a forward slip to lose altitude on final. He said that he was a "little slow" when he came out of the slip. He reported that the landing was a hard landing, the right main landing gear contacted first, and then the gear folded under 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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 54 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3DA Flushing MI at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 3DA Flushing MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.