Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Leslie, Michigan, April 1, 1986
On April 1, 1986 at about 3:50 am local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N94903, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leslie, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 1986 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Leslie, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N94903 · registry record · serial 9303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LNDG FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER AFTER A LOW PASS OVER AN OFF ARPT INTENDED LANDING AREA. THE PLT WAS OVERFLYING A FIELD BELONGING TO A FRIEND IN PREPARATION FOR A POSSIBLE LANDING WHEN A LOUD CLUNK WAS HEARD FROM THE ENG FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER. A LANDING WAS MADE STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO A ROUGH SOD FIELD DURING WHICH THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED FOLLOWED BY WING & PROP DAMAGE. THE PLT & HIS WIFE RECEIVED MINOR HEAD INJURIES. THE ACFT WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION TO CONTAIN AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. THE ACFT DOES NOT HAVE AN STC FOR USE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. LAP BELTS WERE INSTALLED IN THE ACFT BUT SHOULDER HARNESSES WERE NOT INSTALLED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LOWER SPARK PLUG IN #1 CYLINDER WAS MISSING.
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
- Flight time: 379 hours in all; 192 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 379 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 1985; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Brooklyn MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:10 pm from JXN, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI86FEC01.