Taylorcraft BC 65 accident near Fallston, Maryland, November 4, 2013
On November 4, 2013 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1946 Taylorcraft BC 65, registered N52CW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fallston, Maryland (Fallston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing resulting in collision with equipment off the side of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's intentional landing on a closed runway with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 2013 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fallston, Maryland · Fallston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC 65 65, built 1946 · all BC 65s on the register
- Registration
- N52CW · no longer on the register · serial 1716
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot instructed the runway repair technicians to move their equipment so that he could depart from the closed runway that was NOTAM'd as such by the airport operator. The pilot/owner then took off downwind. Later, the pilot returned in the accident airplane and the technicians were surprised when the airplane "committed" to landing downwind on the closed runway. The technicians quickly moved their equipment from the runway surface but the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before striking the left wing against a construction vehicle off the left side of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage. In interviews with Federal Aviation Administration inspectors, the pilot did not report any mechanical deficiencies with his airplane that would preclude normal operation. According to NTSB records, this was the pilot's fourth accident in the previous 3 years.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area condition › Decision related to condition
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,793 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 2013
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0W3 Churchville MD at 2:30 pm
- Destination: W42 Fallston MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.63 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.