Taylorcraft BC12 accident near Goddard, Kansas, October 13, 2019
On October 13, 2019 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1946 Taylorcraft BC12, registered N96709, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Goddard, Kansas (Eck Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2019 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Goddard, Kansas · Eck Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12 D, built 1946 · all BC12s on the register
- Registration
- N96709 · registry record · serial 9009
- 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 takeoff, the airplane lifted off and that he felt "a strange push," and the airplane drifted left toward some hangars. He made corrections toward the runway centerline, and the airplane felt "mushy." The airspeed decreased, so he lowered the nose to increase the airspeed. The airplane then stalled, impacted a soft field, and came to a sudden stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that the wind was 7 to 10 mph from the south-southeast and shifted to 7 to 10 mph from the north-northeast. The pilot departed from runway 18.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 810 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 783 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 19, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SN64 Goddard KS at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 18, 2,499 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KICT, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA20CA015.