Piper PA-12 accident near Kenai, Alaska, June 15, 2002
On June 15, 2002 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N4131M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and the excessive use of the airplane's brakes, which resulted in a nose over. A contributing factor to the accident was a wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2002 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N4131M · registry record · serial 12-3031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo private pilot reported to the NTSB that he was landing on a remote river sandbar in a tail wheel-equipped airplane. He said that just after touchdown, a gust of wind from the left pushed the airplane to the right, and in an attempt to realign the airplane, he applied full left rudder and heavy braking action. As the airplane neared the end of the 900 foot long site, the airplane nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot said that he applied too much brake pressure in an attempt to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the site, and that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,958.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2001; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 1:00 pm
- Destination: ENA Kenai AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.