Piper PA-12 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 1, 2013
On July 1, 2013 at about 5:00 am local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3885M, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Talkeetna, 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of situational awareness, which resulted in a wrong turn into a box canyon, and an in flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2013 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3885M · registry record · serial 12-2582
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was en route to a remote cabin site, and he made a wrong turn into a box canyon. As he flew farther into the canyon, he had to initiate a climb to avoid rising terrain ahead, and the airplane subsequently climbed into an area of light rain, fog, and reduced visibility. He said that as he was attempting to turn the airplane around, the left wing impacted terrain, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with a required emergency locator transmitter (ELT), however, it was an older generation ELT that transmitted only on 121.5 megahertz, not the newer, digital version that transmits on 406 megahertz. As of February 2009, the search and rescue satellites that receive ELT signals no longer had the capability to receive the older analog 121.5 megahertz ELTs. The 406 megahertz ELTs are received within seconds of activation, and rescuers are notified within minutes of the accident location. In this accident, the pilot and passenger were missing for approximately 24 hours before searchers were able to locate the wreckage.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 5, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,833 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 2012; 50 hours since
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Talkeetna AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PATK, 37 miles away
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.
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.