Piper PA-12 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, January 25, 1985
On January 25, 1985 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2399M, was destroyed in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 accident. 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
- January 25, 1985 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N2399M · no longer on the register · serial 12-1515
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE PLT 'BUZZING' A BUILDING & ROLLING THE ACFT ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS. AFTER THE 3RD PASS, IT ENTERED A STEEP BANK, STALLED & PITCHED DOWN INTO A WOODED AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT WAS AT LEAST 73 LBS OVER ITS MAX WEIGHT LIMIT. THE CG WAS NOT VERIFIED, BUT THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS FOUND FULL NOSE DOWN & CARGO WAS FOUND IN A POSITION THAT WOULD HAVE MOVED THE CG AFT. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK REVEALED TRACES OF BENZOYLECGONINE & CANNABINOIDS IN THE PLT'S URINE; HOWEVER, NONE WAS FOUND IN HIS BLOOD.
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: 1,032 hours in all; 811 in this make and model; 998 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1984; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 4:33 pm
- Destination: Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from EDF, 18 miles away
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.
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.