N96920

On October 28, 2000, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Taylorcraft BC12-D airplane, N96920, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing on the North Douglas Highway, about 3 miles south of Juneau, Alaska, at 58 degrees, 20 minutes north latitude, 134 degrees, 31 minutes west longitude. The solo private pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1300, from the Juneau International Airport, Juneau.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on October 31, the pilot reported that after recently installing a new propeller, he elected to take the airplane on a short test flight. He said that as he was returning to the Juneau Airport, he thought he was running low on fuel, so he decided to make a precautionary landing on the highway, and refuel with a can of gas he was carrying in the airplane. He stated that during the landing roll, the left wing collided with a road sign. The airplane pivoted to the left, went off the left side of the road, and down an embankment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage.

The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.