Taylorcraft BC12D accident near San Manuel, Arizona, March 18, 1983
On March 18, 1983 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12D, registered N43958, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Manuel, Arizona. 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).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1983 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Manuel, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12D · all BC12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N43958 · no longer on the register · serial 7617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHE WAS FLYING ABOVE A CANYON AND NOTICED A LOSS OF ALTITUDE. THE BEST RATE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED, 60 MPH, FAILED TO PRODUCE ANY CLIMB, SO THE PILOT BEGAN TO CIRCLE TO GAIN ALTITUDE. 'BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST CIRCLE THE PLANE LOST SUBSTANTIAL ALTITUDE AND BEGAN TO DIVE. BEING LOW AT THAT POINT, I FELT I HAD NO ALTERNATIVE BUT STEER BETWEEN TWO TREES.'
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 234 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 163 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1982; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: San Manuel AZ at 2:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from TUS, 17 miles away
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.
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.