Piper PA-12 accident near Merrill Pass, Alaska, July 6, 1991
On July 6, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N121EF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merrill Pass, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALL SPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TURBULENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Merrill Pass, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N121EF · registry record · serial 12-2447
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A THIRD LOW APPROACH OVER AN INTENDED LANDING AREA ON A GRAVEL BAR, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE DURING THE CLIMB. HE TURNED DOWNWIND, AT WHICH TIME THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND SPUN INTO THE TREES.
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: 1,096 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1990; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,925 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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 ANC91LA091.