Piper PA-18 and Taylorcraft BC-12D mid-air collision near Fairbanks, Alaska, June 12, 1986
On June 12, 1986 at about 7:17 am local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-18 (N8597D) and Taylorcraft BC-12D (N96320), were involved in a mid-air collision near Fairbanks, Alaska. 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- June 12, 1986 · about 7:17 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N8597D · registry record · serial 186248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Taylorcraft BC-12D · all BC-12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N96320 · registry record · serial 8620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-18 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOTS OF EACH ACFT STATED THEY THOUGHT THAT THE LEFT FLOAT AND PROP OF THE TAYLORCRAFT HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE RT WING AND RT LANDING GEAR OF THE PIPER. THE PLTS FAILED TO SEE THE OTHER ACFT IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. BOTH ACFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING DUE TO SURFACE CONDITIONS AND LANDING GEAR DAMAGE.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Taylorcraft BC-12D final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOTS OF EACH ACFT STATED THEY THOUGHT THAT THE LEFT FLOAT AND PROP OF THE TAYLORCRAFT HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE RT WING AND RT LANDING GEAR OF THE PIPER. THE PLTS FAILED TO SEE THE OTHER ACFT IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. BOTH ACFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING DUE TO SURFACE CONDITIONS AND LANDING GEAR DAMAGE.
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 for the Piper PA-18 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 283 hours in all; 283 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 283 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-95 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Taylorcraft BC-12D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 960 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 960 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTF Fairbanks AK at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N8597D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ANC86LA072.