Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Morris, Minnesota, July 29, 1987
On July 29, 1987, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N99AW, was destroyed in an accident near Morris, Minnesota (Morris Muni airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- July 29, 1987
- Place
- Morris, Minnesota · Morris Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N99AW · registry record · serial 8405
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS FERRYING THE ACFT FROM OHIO TO ALASKA. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE STOPPED & REFUELED AT MORRIS, MN. AFTER HE TOOK OFF, THE PLANE CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE ARPT. NO KNOWN WITNESSES SAW THE ACDNT, BUT A PASSERBY FOUND THE ACFT ON ITS NOSE ABOUT 20 MIN LATER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLANE HAD IMPACTED IN A STEEP DESCENT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT, BUT THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 80 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. THE DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 3000'.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 298 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,886 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 27, 1987; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOX Morris MN
- Destination: FAR Fargo ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from ALX, 39 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 CHI87FA177.