Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Richmond, Virginia
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N43363
Location: Critz, VA
Accident Number: ERA16LA179
Date & Time: 05/07/2016, 1429 EDT
Registration: N43363
Aircraft: TAYLORCRAFT BC12 D
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On May 7, 2016, about 1429 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Taylorcraft BC12-D, N43363, collided with trees then the ground during landing at Moorefield's Airstrip (VA27), Critz, Virginia. The private pilot, the sole occupant sustained serious injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated about 56 minutes earlier from Person County Airport (TDF), Roxboro, North Carolina, and was destined for VA27.
The pilot stated that he did not obtain a formal weather briefing for the intended round robin cross country flight from VA27 to TDF, but he did watch TV to obtain the weather conditions. After attending a fly-in at TDF, he departed to return to the airplane's home base (VA27), and noted the windsock depicted wind from the southwest at 7 or 8 kts when flying over the airstrip, which favored runway 19. He entered the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern for that runway, and then turned onto the base and final legs of the airport traffic pattern. While on short final approach, about 10 to 15 feet above ground level while in a slight right wing low attitude with left rudder input to correct for a slight right crosswind, the airplane suddenly veered 90 degrees to the left. He added slight power, adding that the engine responded, but impacted the top of a pine sapling. The airplane then descended and impacted the ground. He indicated there was no pre-impact failure or malfunction of the airplane or engine, and the airplane's stall speed was between 40 and 45 mph.
The on-board GPS receiver was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for downloading. According to the specialist's factual report, the accident flight was recorded from takeoff until close proximity to the accident site. According to the downloaded data, while on final approach, the airplane's groundspeed varied, initially increasing to a maximum of 46 kts, and then decreasing as the flight continued towards the runway to the lowest value of 38 kts (about 44 mph) at the last data point. The accident site was located about 140 feet from the last GPS target location.
A review of weather data by a NTSB meteorologist revealed a north/south oriented band of clouds located west of the accident site which moved over the accident site after the accident. Satellite images depicted cloud streets oriented from basically west to east spaced every 10 to 20 miles from north to south which are indicative of low-level wind shear and some low-level turbulence. The weather radar imagery from around the accident time showed no rain shower or thunderstorm over the accident site; however, rain showers without lightning moved over the accident site about 15 minutes after the accident. At 1435, or about 6 minutes after the accident, a surface observation taken at Blue Ridge Airport (MTV), located about 7 nautical miles east-northeast from the accident site reported the wind 310° at 8 kts. The closest terminal area forecast was from Danville Regional Airport (DAN), located about 39 nautical miles nearly due east of the accident site. The forecast from 1000 hours local and again about 4 minutes before the flight departed was for the wind to be from 300 degrees at 8 knots with gusts to 16 knots.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 64, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed:No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/20/2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/20/2014
Flight Time: 728 hours (Total, all aircraft), 170 hours (Total, this make and model), 684 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: TAYLORCRAFT
Registration: N43363
Model/Series: BC12 D D
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 7022
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/20/2015, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1200 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 22 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2411.41 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: A65-8F
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 65 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MTV, 941 ft msl
Observation Time: 1435 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 7 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 54°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 11000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C / 8°C
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots, 310°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.8 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Roxboro, NC (TDF)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Critz, VA (VA27)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1333 EDT
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Moorefield's Airstrip (VA27)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 1110 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: 19
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2160 ft / 70 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop; Traffic Pattern
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 36.562500, -80.136111 (est)
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 07, 2016 in Critz, VA
Aircraft: TAYLORCRAFT BC12 D, registration: N43363
Injuries: 1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On May 7, 2016, about 1415 eastern daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N43363, registered to and operated by a private individual, collided with trees then the ground during landing at Moorefield's Airstrip (VA27), Critz, Virginia. The private pilot, the sole occupant sustained serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 45 minutes earlier from Person County Airport (TDF), Roxboro, North Carolina, and was destined for VA27.
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded to the destination where he flew over the airstrip and observed the windsock, which indicated the wind favored runway 19. He entered the downwind leg, turned base and final. While on short final approach, about 10 to 15 feet above ground level while in a slight right wing low attitude with left rudder input to correct for a slight right crosswind, the airplane suddenly veered 90 degrees to the left. He added slight power, and impacted the top of a pine sapling. The airplane then descended and impacted the ground. He indicated there was no pre-impact failure or malfunction of the airplane or engine.
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