Piper PA-12 N3222M

Summary

On 9 December 2006 at about 16:00 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N3222M, operated by Wendy S. Lessig, was involved in an accident near Antelope Island, Utah, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 December 2006 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Antelope Island, Utah, United States

Coordinates

40.9406, -112.2069

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N3222M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Wendy S. Lessig

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salt Lake City → Ogden

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07CA027

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's excessive braking during a precautionary landing at an off-airport landing area. A contributing factor was the pilot's non-standard modification of the oil cooler, which resulted in high engine oil temperature.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a post-accident telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that prior to the accident flight, she placed tape on the intake side of the oil cooler in an effort to keep the oil "from running so cool." Approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, the pilot noted the oil temperature was "over the red line" and elected to make a precautionary off-airport landing. During the landing roll she applied the brakes excessively and the airplane nosed-over, resulting in substantial damage. Another pilot saw the accident, and was able to land without mishap and assist the accident pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.