Piper PA-12 accident near Iliamna, Alaska, August 12, 1991
On August 12, 1991, a Piper PA-12, registered N2719M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iliamna, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL CONTAMINATION AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN OF THE TUNDRA LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1991
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N2719M · registry record · serial 121216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW LEVEL, THE ENGINE QUIT. AFTER AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE TUNDRA, THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT REVEALED WATER IN BOTH FUEL TANKS AND CARBURETOR.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,475 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 3,411 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1991; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.