CHI01LA254

Factual narrative

On July 27, 2001, at 1730 central daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N39971, sustained substantial damage during landing roll when it nosed over in a wheat field. The 14 CFR Part 91 student solo flight had departed from a private airstrip located at the pilot's ranch at 1715 en route to the Wall Municipal Airport (6V4), Wall, South Dakota. The student pilot attempted to land on runway 12 (3,500 feet by 60 feet), but impacted the terrain about 150 yards past the runway. The airplane nosed over in the soft, wet ground. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The student pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration Operations Inspector that he planned on doing a "wheel landing" to the first 1/4 of the runway. He used an approach speed of 65 mph. He reported the airplane floated down the runway and when he saw the end of the runway coming up, he elected to do a "go around." He applied full power. He reported the engine sounded normal, although he did not look at the tachometer. He reported the airplane "just would not climb," and that the airplane did not climb more than "16 feet off the ground." He reported, "The controls were not very effective when the right wing was up and then I crashed." The student pilot had purchased the airplane and started flying on June 1, 2001. The student pilot's total flight time was 38.6 hours, and all of it had been flown in the accident airplane. He reported he had used automobile gas in the airplane, although no Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) had been issued to the airplane for the use of auto gas. The pilot reported the engine was running smooth; it did not "cough" when full power was applied; and it did not have carburetor ice. The pilot reported the winds were calm and the temperature was 85 degrees F. The elevation at 6V4 is 2,810 feet. The density altitude was about 5,031 feet. The airplane sustained substantial damage during landing roll when it nosed over in a wheat field after attempting to land on a runway (3,500 feet by 60 feet), but impacted the terrain about 150 yards past the runway. The airplane nosed over in the soft, wet ground. The student solo pilot reported he planned on doing a "wheel landing" to the first 1/4 of the runway. He used an approach speed of 65 mph. He reported the airplane floated down the runway and when he saw the end of the runway coming up, he elected to do a "go around." He applied full power and the engine sounded normal. He reported the airplane "just would not climb," and that the airplane did not climb more than "16 feet off the ground." He reported, "The controls were not very effective when the right wing was up and then I crashed." The student pilot's total flight time was 38.6 hours, and all of it had been flown in the accident airplane. He reported he had used automobile gas in the airplane, although no Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) had been issued to the airplane for the use of auto gas. The pilot reported the engine was running smooth; it did not "cough" when full power was applied; and it did not have carburetor ice. The pilot reported the winds were calm and the temperature was 85 degrees F. The elevation at 6V4 is 2,810 feet. The density altitude was about 5,031 feet. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12