Taylorcraft BC12 D accident near Laguna Park, Texas, September 22, 2013
On September 22, 2013 at about 5:35 pm local time, a 1946 Taylorcraft BC12 D, registered N96473, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Laguna Park, Texas (Laguna-Not A-Park Airstrip 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
The pilot’s inadequate flare during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and the subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2013 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Laguna Park, Texas · Laguna-Not A-Park Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12 D, built 1946 · all BC12 Ds on the register
- Registration
- N96473 · registry record · serial 8773
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the airplane bounced on touchdown during a landing with a left crosswind and that the left main landing gear folded "up and out." The airplane subsequently sustained substantial damage when it exited the runway and impacted trees and a stump. It is likely that the pilot inadequately flared the airplane during landing, which resulted in the hard landing and the subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 970 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 970 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,358 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX82 Laguna Park TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: TX82 Laguna Park TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 1,824 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KINJ, 20 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.
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.