Taylorcraft BC12 accident near Longs, South Carolina, October 1, 2019
On October 1, 2019 at about 2:55 pm local time, a 1959 Taylorcraft BC12, registered N95131, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Longs, South Carolina. 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 improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, an off-airport landing, and impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2019 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- Longs, South Carolina · 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 1959 · all BC12s on the register
- Registration
- N95131 · no longer on the register · serial 9531
- 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, during preflight preparations, he estimated that the flight time would be about 2 hours 29 minutes with a total fuel burn of 10.1 gallons. The airplane departed with 12 gallons of fuel. About 2 hours 25 minutes into the flight, the engine quit. The pilot navigated toward a nearby field to make an off-airport landing. During the landing, he saw a deep ditch and a house, so he attempted to ground loop the airplane to the left. Both wings impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation that adding a fuel stop would have prevented the accident. The Federal Aviation Administrator inspector who examined the airplane reported that the nose tank had evidence of fuel being in it recently (the indicator cork was still wet with fuel), but no fuel remained in the tank. Both the right and left wing tanks were examined, and no fuel remained in either tank. No evidence of a fuel spill was found on the airplane or the ground.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,094 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 5,094 as pilot in command; 2,458 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 16, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,791.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: N95131 Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: W90 Forest VA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: CRE North Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KCRE, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 10, 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 | Record of E-mail Correspondence (FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident 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.
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.