Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Alton, Maine, January 30, 1983
On January 30, 1983 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N95176, was destroyed in an accident near Alton, Maine (Private Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1983 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Alton, Maine · Private Strip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N95176 · registry record · serial 9576
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PAX STATED THAT THE FUSELAGE & RIGHT WING TANKS CONTAINED AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. THE ENG WAS WARMED UP AN ESTIMATED 30 MINPRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO LIFT OFF ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THE 1600 FT STRIP. AT ABOUT 30-40 FT THE ACFT BEGAN A RIGHT BANKING TURN. THE PAX STATED THAT AT ABOUT 75 FT ABOVE THE TREES THE ENG QUIT. THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT LEFT BACK TOWARD THE RWY, & THE PAX OBSERVED THE PLT PULLING & PUSHING A KNOB. THE ACFT CRASHED IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PLT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED A TOTAL OF 11.9 HRS DUAL WITH THE LAST DUAL ON 7/24/81. THE LAST RECORDED ANNUAL WAS ON 3/31/81 WHICH COULD NOT BE SIGNED OFF BECAUSE AN STC INVOLVING AN ENG CHANGE WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH SKIS & THEIR INSTALLATION WAS NOT RECORDED IN THE LOGBOOK. THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 175 LBS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. OAT AT BANGOR, ME WAS 20 DEG F. RECENT TESTS SHOW THAT A CARBURETOR HAD A TENDENCY TO COMMENCE ICING TWICE AS SOON WITH AUTOMOTIVE GRADE FUEL AS COMPARED WITH 100LL AVIATION GRADE.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1981
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Ross Lake ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:58 am from BGR, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 NYC83FA061.