Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Farmville, Virginia, October 20, 2001
On October 20, 2001 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N43529, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmville, Virginia (Farmville Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 CFI's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff. A factor in the accident was the CFI's decision to conduct the flight from the airplane's right seat, which was not equipped with brakes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2001 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Farmville, Virginia · Farmville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N43529 · registry record · serial 7208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) intended to fly to a local grass strip to provide the private pilot with tail-wheel aircraft instruction. During the takeoff roll, the CFI lost directional control of the airplane and elected to allow the airplane to depart the right side of the runway and slow down in the grass. However, the airplane struck a ditch and flipped over, which damaged the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The CFI did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane and he further stated that wind at the time of the accident was light and variable. Additionally, the CFI was seated in the airplane's right front seat, and airplane was equipped with "foot brakes" at the left front seat pilot station only.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,100 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 7,819 as pilot in command; 3,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 24, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 265 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 140 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental AC-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FVX Farmville VA at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CHO, 47 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N43529 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.