Piper PA-12 accident near Ptarmigan Pass, Alaska, September 6, 1993
On September 6, 1993 at about 1:04 am local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3629M, was involved in an accident near Ptarmigan Pass, Alaska (Unnamed Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY WALKED INTO A TURNING PROPELLER. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SOFT RUNWAY WHICH MIRED THE AIRPLANE AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION DURING THE ATTEMPT TO FREE THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1993 · about 1:04 am local time
- Place
- Ptarmigan Pass, Alaska · Unnamed Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3629M · registry record · serial 12-2476
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF FROM REMOTE DIRT STRIP AND BECAME MIRED IN MUD. THE PILOT DEPLANED, LEAVING THE ENGINE RUNNING UNATTENDED AND LIFTED THE TAIL WHEEL FREE. WITH ATTENTION DIVERTED BY WORK TO FREE THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT WALKED INTO THE PROPELLER ARC AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.