Taylorcraft BC12-D1 accident near Skokomish, Washington, October 11, 2009
On October 11, 2009, a Taylorcraft BC12-D1, registered N44362, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Skokomish, Washington. 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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while flying over hilly, forested terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 2009
- Place
- Skokomish, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft BC12-D1 · all BC12-D1s on the register
- Registration
- N44362 · no longer on the register · serial 10162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After refueling his airplane in the early afternoon, the pilot departed to a destination unknown to anyone else. When he did not return, he was reported missing and a search ensued for the airplane. About seven months later, the airplane's wreckage was discovered in thick underbrush on a ridge of densely forested hilly terrain. The airplane's left wing had impacted two conifer trees near their tops, resulting in the outboard four feet of the wing separating at that location. The airplane had traveled another 115 feet through the forest, with its wings impacting several other trees, before coming to rest inverted in the underbrush. Examination of the propeller blades and observation of cleanly cut tree sections along the wreckage path revealed evidence of engine rotation at the point of initial impact. A full engine teardown inspection did not reveal any evidence of anomalies that would have existed at the time of the accident and that would have kept the engine from developing full rated horsepower.
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
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 2009; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 14S Westport WA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: S43 Snohomish WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KSHN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.