Taylorcraft DCO-65 accident near Higginsville, Missouri, September 1, 2011
On September 1, 2011 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft DCO-65, registered N46112, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Higginsville, Missouri (Higginsville Industrial Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and his failure to maintain clearance from trees during the attempted aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2011 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Higginsville, Missouri · Higginsville Industrial Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft DCO-65 · all DCO-65s on the register
- Registration
- N46112 · registry record · serial L-5572
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during landing the wind lifted the left wing of the tailwheel-equipped airplane. As the wing came back down, the airplane began to ground loop and the airplane veered toward the right side of the runway. Due to observed terrain obstructions, the pilot elected to abort the landing and applied engine power. He attempted to clear a row of trees, but the airplane struck the trees and fell to the ground. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies with regard to the airplane. The airplane damage included bending of the left wing.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 226 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K88 Iola KS at 2:15 pm
- Destination: HIG Higginsville MO
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 16, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from KSZL, 22 miles away
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.
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 CEN11CA613.