Piper PA-12 accident near Dillingham, Alaska, August 23, 2009
On August 23, 2009, a Piper PA-12, registered N92770, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Dillingham, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land on unsuitable soft, wet terrain, which resulted in a nose-over on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2009
- Place
- Dillingham, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N92770 · no longer on the register · serial 12-215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported he was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport, tundra-covered site, at the conclusion of a Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that during the landing roll the main wheels sunk into the soft, wet terrain, and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. He reported 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
What happened, in order
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 392 hours in all; 392 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 392 as pilot in command; 31 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 404 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 2008; 251 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DLG Dillingham AK at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Dillingham AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 7 knots, gusting 11
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.36 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N92770 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.