Accident Taylorcraft BC12-D N95855, Saturday 6 August 1988

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Date:	Saturday 6 August 1988
Time:	10:15 LT
Type:	Taylorcraft BC12-D
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N95855
MSN:	8155
Year of manufacture:	1946
Total airframe hrs:	2464 hours
Engine model:	Continental A-65-8F
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Clinton, MT - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	(25S)
Destination airport:	Three Forks, MT (9S5)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF FROM RWY 25, THE WINDS WERE FROM 270 DEG AT 10 GUSTING 15 KTS. HE STATED THAT DRG THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE ENCTRD A SEVERE WINDSHEAR. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LOST CONTROL & THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A 40 DEG NOSE DOWN, 70 DEG LEFT BANK ATTITUDE. THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED & CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE RWY. THE LEFT WING WAS SHEARED AT THE STRUT ENDS, THE FUSELAGE WAS BENT & THE ENG WAS TORN AWAY FROM THE ACFT. THE PLT SAID HE FELT THE ACFT HAD ENCTRD A WHIRLWIND. ALSO, THE PLT NOTED THAT THERE WAS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEARBY & WHIRLWINDS WERE COMMON. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE THE ACDNT, RAIN HAD FALLEN, WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED BLOWING DUST FROM MAKING WHIRLWINDS VISIBLE.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: