Taylorcraft BCM-12D-85 accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, June 7, 1986
On June 7, 1986 at about 11:43 pm local time, a Taylorcraft BCM-12D-85, registered N96336, was destroyed in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska (Ketchikan Harbor Spb airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- June 7, 1986 · about 11:43 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · Ketchikan Harbor Spb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BCM-12D-85
- Registration
- N96336 · no longer on the register · serial 8636
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FELT A SUDDEN HARD JOLT WHILE IN CRUISE FLT. THE ACFT ASSUMED A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE WHICH THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT BY USE OF POWER AND CONTROL INPUTS. THE ACFT WAS AT A LOW ALTITUDE DUE TO WEATHER. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE WATER IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE SHORTLY AFTER THE LOSS OF CONTROL. AFTER THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT FLOAT HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED PRE-EXISTING FATIGUE CRACKING OF TWO STEEL MEMBERS. THE LOW TENSILE STRENGTH AND MARGINAL QUALITY OF THE STEEL CONTRIBUTED TO THE EARLY FAILURE OF THE FITTNG.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,459 hours in all; 139 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 3,902 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,087 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1985; 139 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 85-12-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wilson Arm AK at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 5KE Kechikan AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from KTN
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.