Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near South Paris, Maine, March 9, 1984
On March 9, 1984 at about 5:00 am local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, registered N95040, was destroyed in an accident near South Paris, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 9, 1984 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- South Paris, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N95040 · no longer on the register · serial 9440
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT WAS LAST SEEN ON 3/9/84 AT 1530 EST & HAD NOT EXPRESSED ANY INTENTIONS OF FLYING. AT 1730, HIS CAR WAS LOCATED AT THE ARPT & HIS ACFT, WHICH HAD BEEN KEPT THERE, WAS GONE. THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON 5/24/84 WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN WHILE DESCENDING UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE HISTORY OF FLT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD REVEALED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.08%; HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL DUE TO PUTREFACTION WAS NOT KNOWN. ABOUT 45 MI SE OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE 1650 EST WX AT PORTLAND, ME, WAS, IN PART: SKY CLEAR, VISIBILITY 20 MI, WIND 030 DEG AT 10 KTS.
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: 155 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 135 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,759 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 28, 1983; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bowdoinham ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from PWM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.