Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Aledo, Illinois, June 4, 1988
On June 4, 1988 at about 5:43 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N95061, was destroyed in an accident near Aledo, Illinois (Mercer County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 4, 1988 · about 5:43 pm local time
- Place
- Aledo, Illinois · Mercer County · 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
- N95061 · no longer on the register · serial 9461
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT REPORTED HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ELECTED TO LIFT THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE GROUND PREMATURELY IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID RUNNING INTO A CORNFIELD. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH THE PROPER RATE OF CLIMB, AND UNABLE TO CLEAR SOME TELEPHONE LINES, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DIVE UNDER THEM. THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE LOWEST TELEPHONE WIRE, THEN THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A REST IN A CORNFIELD.
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: 190 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,660 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1988; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,480 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from MLI, 16 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.