Taylorcraft BC12 accident near Yerington, Nevada, June 21, 2019
On June 21, 2019 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1946 Taylorcraft BC12, registered N49368, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Yerington, Nevada (Yerington Muni 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 properly secure the airplane before hand propping it, which resulted in the unmanned airplane moving and colliding with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2019 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Yerington, Nevada · Yerington Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12 D, built 1946 · all BC12s on the register
- Registration
- N49368 · registry record · serial 7692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, before attempting to take off, he tied a rope to the airplane's tail and then hand propped the airplane. The engine started, and "the rope snapped." Subsequently, the unmanned airplane started moving and then impacted a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,287 hours in all; 1,313 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,252 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,245.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,280 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-8F (piston); 2,948 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV at 4:00 pm
- Destination: RTS Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm from KMEV, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 5, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N49368 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.