Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Evansville, Wisconsin, April 26, 1991
On April 26, 1991 at about 3:33 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N61978, was substantially damaged in an accident near Evansville, Wisconsin (Fellows 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 PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING, NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND WITHOUT SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE RUTTED RUNWAY SURFACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1991 · about 3:33 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Wisconsin · Fellows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N61978 · no longer on the register · serial 7658
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING CROSSWIND TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT A PRIVATE AIRPORT WITH A SOD RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY WAS POSITIONED BETWEEN TWO FIELDS THAT WERE FRESHLY PLOWED. THE TRACTOR WHICH HAD PLOWED THE FIELDS USED THE RUNWAY AS A CROSSING POINT BETWEEN THE TWO FIELDS BEING PLOWED CREATING RUTS ON ITS SURFACE. IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT STORED ON THE FIELD DURING THE WINTER MONTHS HAD ALSO LEFT RUTS ON THE RUNWAY'S SURFACE. DURING ONE OF THE PILOT'S LANDINGS THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A RUT, BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, DESCENDED INTO THE FRESHLY PLOWED FIELD AND FLIPPED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 854 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 814 as pilot in command; 325 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,207 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 1990; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sugar River Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: C37 Brodhead WI at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:50 pm from JVL, 11 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.