Piper PA-12 N3234M

Summary

On 22 September 2009 at about 14:35 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N3234M, operated by Jared Hobaugh, was involved in an accident near Columbia, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 September 2009 at 14:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbia, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

38.8608, -92.1353

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N3234M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jared Hobaugh

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Montgomery City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA597

1 person died.

The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which included low ceilings and fog, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power as a result of water contamination of the fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Due to adverse weather conditions, the pilot landed at a grass airstrip en route to his destination. The airport manager stated that a front was approaching the airport and that it rained all night. According to the airport manager, the pilot returned to the airport the next morning, started the airplane, and taxied to the fuel pump. The right fuel cap was missing. He drained the fuel sump repeatedly because he found water in the right tank. The airport manager gave the pilot a fuel cap for the right tank so that he could depart. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying 50–60 feet above the ground with the engine sputtering and cutting in and out prior to the accident. Airplane impact damage was consistent with a steep nose-down attitude with about 80 degrees of left roll. Witnesses reported heavy cloud cover and limited visibility due to light-to-moderate fog. Observed weather near the accident site was 1/4 mile visibility in fog with an indefinite ceiling at 100 feet. The Weather Depiction Chart depicted an area of instrument-flight-rule (IFR) conditions along and behind the cold front. The accident site was located in an area of IFR conditions, with the departure and planned destination airports under visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. The pilot was not instrument rated, and the airplane was not equipped for IFR flight. The inspection of the engine and airframe revealed no preimpact anomalies. The propeller blades were bent aft from impact forces.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.