Taylorcraft BC12-D N95078

Summary

On 7 September 2024 at about 16:30 local time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D registered N95078 was involved in an accident near Trojan, South Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 September 2024 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Trojan, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

44.3465, -103.8245

Aircraft

Taylorcraft BC12-D

Registration

N95078

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rapid City → Hulett

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA341

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to a loose magneto and subsequent impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while enroute the engine sustained a partial loss of power. The pilot attempted to restore engine power by applying carburetor heat, adjusting the mixture, and checking the fuel control valve. The pilot’s troubleshooting efforts were unsuccessful, and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot descended into a wooded valley and conducted a forced landing into the treetops. The airplane came to rest inverted and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the hold-down nuts on the right magneto were loose, and the magneto could rotate freely by hand. It is likely that the loose magneto detrimentally affected ignition, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.