Piper PA-12 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, July 21, 1995
On July 21, 1995 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N7755H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (O'Mally Sky Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT WHICH LED TO CARBURETOR ICING AND A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT ARE PREVAILING CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY JUDGE THE AIRPLANE'S DISTANCE AND SPEED DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1995 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · O'Mally Sky Harbor
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N7755H · registry record · serial 12-653
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AFTER A SUCCESSFUL ENGINE RUN-UP. DURING THE CLIMB, AT ABOUT 700 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING BUT MISJUDGED HIS APPROACH AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED AS HE OVERSHOT THE FAR END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE AIRPLANE'S FIRST FLIGHT AFTER THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REBUILT. A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING FAA CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, THE PREVAILING WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT COULD PRODUCE 'SERIOUS' CARBURETOR ICING AT CRUISE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF POWER, WITH NO EFFECT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,344 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 1995; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from ANC, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N7755H 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.