Piper PA-12 accident near Shaw Creek, Alaska, September 16, 1987
On September 16, 1987 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3140M, was destroyed in an accident near Shaw Creek, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were 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
- September 16, 1987 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Shaw Creek, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3140M · registry record · serial 121824
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS INCIDENTAL TO THE OPERATION OF HIS LODGE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, IT WAS COMMON FOR PILOTS TO USE THAT PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY FOR TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ACCORDING TO THE HUSBAND OF ONE OF THE FATALLY INJURED PASSENGERS, THE PILOT WAS PLANNING TO LAND ON THE HIGHWAY, JUST AS HE HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS PARALLELING THE HIGHWAY AND MADE A RIGHT TURN TOWARDS THE ROAD AND THE HILL. THE AIRPLANE THEN 'WOBBLED' SLIGHTLY, AND THEN DOVE TOWARD THE ROAD WITH THE RIGHT WING LOW. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS IN FRONT OF A TRACTOR TRAILER ON THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRPLANE BURST INTO FLAMES AND SLID INTO THE DITCH ALONGSIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
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: 2,950 hours in all; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Dry Creek AK at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.