Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Clinton, Montana, August 6, 1988
On August 6, 1988 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N95855, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clinton, Montana (Eliott Field). 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1988 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Clinton, Montana · Eliott Field · 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
- N95855 · registry record · serial 8155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF FROM RWY 25, THE WINDS WERE FROM 270 DEG AT 10 GUSTING 15 KTS. HE STATED THAT DRG THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE ENCTRD A SEVERE WINDSHEAR. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LOST CONTROL & THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A 40 DEG NOSE DOWN, 70 DEG LEFT BANK ATTITUDE. THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED & CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE RWY. THE LEFT WING WAS SHEARED AT THE STRUT ENDS, THE FUSELAGE WAS BENT & THE ENG WAS TORN AWAY FROM THE ACFT. THE PLT SAID HE FELT THE ACFT HAD ENCTRD A WHIRLWIND. ALSO, THE PLT NOTED THAT THERE WAS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEARBY & WHIRLWINDS WERE COMMON. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE THE ACDNT, RAIN HAD FALLEN, WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED BLOWING DUST FROM MAKING WHIRLWINDS VISIBLE.
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: 1,095 hours in all; 417 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,010 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,464 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1987; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 25S at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 9S5 Three Forks MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:15 am
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DEN88LA178.