Taylorcraft BC-12D accident near Crane Lake, Minnesota, June 29, 1983
On June 29, 1983 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC-12D, registered N96333, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crane Lake, Minnesota (Crane Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1983 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Crane Lake, Minnesota · Crane Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC-12D · all BC-12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N96333 · no longer on the register · serial 4569468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE HE WAS TAKING OFF ON AN EASTERLY HEADING, THE FLOAT PLANE WAS ON THE STEP & BECAME AIRBORNE SOONER THAN HE EXPECTED. WHILE HE WAS CORRECTING THE STITUATION BY LOWERING THE NOSE, THE LEFT FLOAT DUG INTO THE WATER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FLOAT, STRUT, LEFT WING & EMPENNAGE. APRX 15 MIN EAST AT INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN, THE 1750 CDT WIND WAS FROM 130 DEG AT 10 KTS.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 121 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,002 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Eveleth MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from INL, 15 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.