Piper PA-12 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, June 1, 1994
On June 1, 1994 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N4380M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. 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'S SELECTION OF AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1994 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- 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
- N4380M · registry record · serial 12-3316
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE OVERFLEW THE LANDING AREA AND DID NOT SEE ANY OBSTRUCTION. HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LANDING AREA INTENDING TO 'DRAG THE LANDING AREA' BUT BECAUSE THE LANDING WAS SMOOTH HE ELECTED TO REMAIN ON THE GROUND. APPROXIMATELY 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE LANDING AREA HE SAW A DITCH AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE DITCH. HE STATED HE WAS TOO SLOW TO ATTEMPT A GO AROUND AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE. THE MAIN GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND THE PLANE SKIDDED TO A STOP.
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: 326 hours in all; 205 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 326 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,992 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1994; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Tanana River AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N4380M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.