Taylorcraft DCO-65 N50408
16 July 2011 · Boyne City, Michigan, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 16 July 2011 at about 14:48 local time, a Taylorcraft DCO-65 registered N50408, operated by Balogh Eugene W, was involved in an accident near Boyne City, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:48
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Boyne City, Michigan, United States
- Nearest airport
- Boyne City Municipal Airport (N98)
- Coordinates
- 45.2086, -84.9897
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft DCO-65
- Registration
- N50408
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Balogh Eugene W
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Boyne City → Boyne City
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN11FA480
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in a stall/spin and impact with the terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Witnesses saw the airplane flying southbound between their location and the airport's runway. The engine sounded normal and was "not running rough," and the airplane's altitude was between 50 and 75 feet above ground level. One witness stated that the airplane started a left turn and then abruptly pulled up, possibly reacting to a set of nearby power lines. The airplane entered a spin and impacted the road in a nearly vertical, nose-down attitude. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies that could be associated with a preimpact condition. The propeller exhibited characteristics indicative of engine power at impact. The pilot had medical conditions that included atrial fibrillation, some degree of bradycardia, depression, and the use of multiple potentially sedating medications. While the pilot was likely medically impaired to some extent, the investigation was unable to determine if that impairment played a role to the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Taylorcraft DCO-65 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2011 | Taylorcraft DCO-65 | Higginsville, Missouri, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Feb 2011 | Taylorcraft DCO-65 | Americus, Indiana, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Jun 2010 | Taylorcraft DCO-65 | Akron, Ohio, United States | Wayne Noall | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jul 2009 | Taylorcraft DCO-65 | Tracy, California, United States | Oberlander Ronald | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Jun 2008 | Taylorcraft DCO-65 | Somerset, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Oct 2007 | Taylorcraft DCO-65 | Fort Myers, Florida, United States | Douglas Charles Jenkins | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Aug 2011 | Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B | Marshall, Michigan, United States | Marshall Soaring Club Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Jul 2011 | Degraw RHINO II | Jackson, Michigan, United States | Degraw Richard R Trustee | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Dec 2011 | Piper PA-32-260 | St. Ignace, Michigan, United States | Great Lakes Air Inc | Fatal | 2 |
| 6 Oct 2011 | Brinkerhuff Gerald G Q200 | Holland, Michigan, United States | Brinkerhuff Gerald G | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Dixon VOLKSPLANE VP-1 | Jackson, Michigan, United States | Dixon Bartley M | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Oct 2011 | Wilhelm CALIDUS | Thompsonville, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |