Piper PA-12S accident near Igiugig, Alaska, August 5, 2023
On August 5, 2023 at about 2:43 am local time, a 1946 Piper PA-12S, registered N2262G, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Igiugig, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2023 · about 2:43 am local time
- Place
- Igiugig, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12S, built 1946 · all PA-12Ss on the register
- Registration
- N2262G · registry record · serial 12-1183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was about 8 miles from his destination when the engine began to run rough and the power began to surge. He confirmed the fuel selector was set to both tanks, adjusted throttle and mixture, checked the magnetos and primer, and he pulled the carburetor heat on. As he turned to line up for an off-airport landing, the engine regained full power but then resumed a steady power loss until it lost all power. The landing gear contacted a deep hole in the tundra during the landing and the airplane veered right 90° before coming to a complete stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed both the left and right fuel tank contained no usable fuel. After adding fuel to the fuel tank, the engine performed normally with no abnormalities observed.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,095 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 128 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 7,470 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 3, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,512 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 2023; 44.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 1,350 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PALH Anchorage AK at 11:49 pm
- Destination: PAIG Igiugig AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from PAIG, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAIG 050256Z AUTO 05006KT 10SM BKN050 16/12 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP198 6//// T01560122 56011 PNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC23LA060.