Piper PA 12 N3937M

Summary

On 2 June 2018 at about 07:30 local time, a Piper PA 12 registered N3937M was involved in an accident near Nulato, Alaska, United States. 2 people were 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

2 June 2018 at 07:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Nulato, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

65.0000, -159.4167

Aircraft

Piper PA 12

Registration

N3937M

Category

Airplane

Year built

1947

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Galena → Nulato

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

GAA18CA320

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing on upsloping terrain, and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during an attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while landing off airport on an upsloping ridge, the tailwheel-equipped airplane "touched down harder than preferred." He applied full throttle, initiated a go-around, and attempted to turn toward the down-sloping side of the hill. The airplane briefly became airborne, but it then aerodynamically stalled and nosed down into the tundra. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.