Taylorcraft BC-12D accident near Meadville, Pennsylvania, April 28, 1990
On April 28, 1990 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC-12D, registered N43778, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meadville, Pennsylvania (Port Meadville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1990 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Meadville, Pennsylvania · Port Meadville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC-12D · all BC-12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N43778 · no longer on the register · serial 7437
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON TOUCHDOWN, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER, LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY AND SAT IT DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, ANOTHER GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT OFF OF THE RUNWAY, IT THEN STRUCK A SMALL DITCH THAT RAN PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY AND FLIPPED OVER.
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: 505 hours in all; 171 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,137 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1990; 6 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: 4G1 Greenville PA at 2:40 pm
- Destination: 2G6 Meadville PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N43778 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.