Piper PA-12 accident near Goose Bay, Alaska, August 18, 1993
On August 18, 1993 at about 4:15 am local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N123TL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goose Bay, Alaska (Goose Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE INSTALLATION INFORMATION SUPPLIED WITH THE STC FOR THE ENGINE UPGRADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1993 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Goose Bay, Alaska · Goose Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N123TL · registry record · serial 12-3969
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MODIFIED PA-12 COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING FUEL STARVATION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH A 160 HP ENGINE REQUIRING EXTENSIVE UPGRADE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE AIRPLANE HAD A HISTORY OF SUDDEN AND COMPLETE STARVATION ENGINE STOPPAGES WITHOUT ASSOCIATED MECHANICAL, IGNITION OR CARBURATION ANOMALIES.
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
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 376 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1993; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:00 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.
Other NTSB records under N123TL 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 ANC93LA151.