Piper PA-12 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, June 27, 2007
On June 27, 2007 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N78456, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, 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 malfunction of an engine magneto during cruise flight, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power, and an on-ground encounter with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the high vegetation at the off-airport landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2007 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, 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
- N78456 · registry record · serial 12-1965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was conducting a personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot said that during cruise flight the engine started to run rough. He was unable to get the engine to run smoothly, and elected to make a precautionary landing on a grass-covered field. He said the grass was knee to waist high, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. The pilot indicated that the wings and rudder were damaged when the airplane nosed over. An aircraft mechanic who examined the airplane after recovery said that during a test run of the engine, the engine appeared to have a malfunctioning magneto. The magneto was sent to a shop for examination, and the technician who examined the magneto, said the upper housing had fractured, allowing the wire-lugs to float internally, and the engine to run rough. He said the damage to the magneto did not appear to be the result of the accident, and that the failure of the upper housing was not uncommon in older airplanes.
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
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,149 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAMR Anchorage AK at 10:10 pm
- Destination: Deshka River AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.
Other NTSB records under N78456 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.