Summary
On August 13, 2011, a Taylorcraft BC12-D (N5080M) was involved in an accident near West Liberty, KY. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
The pilot stated that he was using a global positioning system receiver to navigate a cross-country flight. The pilot's intended destination was an airport with a single 5,751-foot-long runway; however, he erroneously flew to an airport with a single 2,400-foot-long runway. Additionally, trees were located on both ends of the shorter runway. The pilot further stated that in an attempt to clear trees near the runway threshold, he touched down too close to the departure end of the runway. The pilot did not want to attempt a go-around due to the trees at the end of the runway. The pilot attempted to stop the airplane, but it traveled off the end of the runway and into a ditch. During the impact, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing separated.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA453. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5080M.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was using a global positioning system receiver to navigate a cross-country flight. The pilot's intended destination was an airport with a single 5,751-foot-long runway; however, he erroneously flew to an airport with a single 2,400-foot-long runway. Additionally, trees were located on both ends of the shorter runway. The pilot further stated that in an attempt to clear trees near the runway threshold, he touched down too close to the departure end of the runway. The pilot did not want to attempt a go-around due to the trees at the end of the runway. The pilot attempted to stop the airplane, but it traveled off the end of the runway and into a ditch. During the impact, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing separated. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The wind was reported as calm at an airport located approximately 20 miles south of the accident site, about the time of the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA453