Taylorcraft BC-12D accident near Roxbury, New York, May 27, 2002
On May 27, 2002 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC-12D, registered N36322, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roxbury, New York. 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 airplane encountering an unanticipated downdraft that exceeded the climb performance of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2002 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Roxbury, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC-12D · all BC-12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N36322 · registry record · serial 6402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger boarded the airplane, and departed. About 2 hours into the flight and approximately 15 minutes from the pilot's planned destination, the airplane encountered a downdraft. When the airplane entered the downdraft, indicated air speed (IAS) was between 85 and 95 mph, and the airplane was approximately 600 feet above an approaching ridge. The pilot applied full throttle, and slowed the airplane to its best rate-of-climb airspeed. With the engine operating at full power, the pilot was unable to arrest the descent. The airplane continued to descend until it impacted trees. The pilot did not encounter any turbulence or other downdrafts before the accident. Winds aloft were forecasted to be approximately 6 knots for 3,000 feet, and thunderstorms were forecasted to begin about 1700. Before the accident, the pilot saw a possible thunderstorm about 20 miles to the northwest of the accident site.
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: 83 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 57 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 2001; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N13 Bloomsburg PA at 4:50 pm
- Destination: 1I5 Freehold NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from MSV, 44 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.