On 31 Jul 2009, a TAYLORCRAFT BC12-65 was involved in an aviation accident near Flushing, MI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed and an appropriate descent rate during the final approach, which led to a hard landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Taylorcraft BC12-65 experienced a landing gear collapse during a hard landing in Flushing, Michigan.
What happened
On July 31, 2009, a TAYLORCRAFT BC12-65, registration N77FJ, was on final approach at Flushing, Michigan. The pilot utilized a forward slip maneuver to reduce altitude during the final approach phase. Upon exiting the slip, the pilot noted the aircraft was traveling at a low airspeed. The aircraft subsequently experienced a hard landing where the right main landing gear made contact with the ground first, causing the gear to fold underneath the airplane. There were no injuries resulting from the accident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's maneuvers during the final approach. The pilot reported that the aircraft was traveling at a low speed following the completion of the forward slip maneuver.
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed and an appropriate descent rate during the final approach, which led to a hard landing.