Piper PA-12 incident near Anchorage, Alaska, October 19, 1983
On October 19, 1983, a Piper PA-12, registered N4433M, suffered minor damage in an incident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1983
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood · map
- Type
- Incident
- 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
- N4433M · registry record · serial 12-3386
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THE FLOATS HAD JUST BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ACFT & THAT HE MADE THIS FLT TO REFAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH FLYING IT WITH WHEELS AGAIN. AFTER MAKING ABOUT 10 TOUCH-GO-GO LANDINGS, THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A FULL STOP LANDING. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER LANDING, THE ACFT HAD ROLL APRX 300 FT WITH THE TAIL ON THE GROUND WHEN THE MAIN WHEELS FELT LIKE THEY WERE DIGGING IN THE GRAVEL RWY. HE APPLIED POWER & TRIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO NOSE OVER. IN HIS ACCIDENT REPORT, THE PLT DID NOT INDICATE TO WHAT EXTENT THAT HE USED BRAKING ACTION. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH OVER SIZED TIRES. ANOTHER PLT, WHO LANDED AFTER THE MISHAP, REPORTED THAT THE GRAVEL ON THE RWY AFFECTED HIS ACFT BY CAUSING IT TO VEER SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
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: 154 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,813 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1983; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,200 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N4433M 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.