Taylorcraft BC-12 accident near Geneseo, New York, June 1, 1995
On June 1, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BC-12, registered N43705, was substantially damaged in an accident near Geneseo, New York (Geneseo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to detect water-contaminated fuel which resulted in the loss of engine power. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the forced landing, which resulted in the inadvertent stall/spin and collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Geneseo, New York · Geneseo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC-12 · all BC-12s on the register
- Registration
- N43705 · registry record · serial 7364
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE LANDED AT A LOCAL AIRPORT, WHERE THE PILOT PURCHASED AUTO FUEL FROM A VENDOR. PLASTIC CONTAINERS WERE USED TO TRANSPORT THE FUEL TO THE AIRPLANE. DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION REVEALED THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS ALL CONTAINED AUTO FUEL, AND THE CARBURETOR BOWL CONTAINED WATER AND SEDIMENT. THE PLASTIC CONTAINERS USED TO TRANSPORT THE FUEL ALSO CONTAINED WATER AND SEDIMENT.
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: 402 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 402 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 1994; 94 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: D77 at 6:30 pm
- Destination: D77 Lancaster NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,695 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
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.