Piper PA-12 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, November 25, 1988
On November 25, 1988 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2930M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Frozen Lake 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 PILOT MISJUDGED THE APPROACH AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE. A RELATED FACTOR WAS TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1988 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Frozen Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N2930M · registry record · serial 121332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON APPROACH TO A FROZEN LAKE WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A ROW OF TREES AND CRASHED ON THE LAKE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE WITH AN EXPIRED FAA MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND AN EXPIRED ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON SHORT FINAL THE AIRPLANE SUNK. HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE SINK AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK A SMALL TREE. THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE LEFT AND IMPACTED THE LAKE IN A LEFT YAW CONDITION.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 26 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fairbanks AK at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm
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.
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 ANC89LA020.