Piper PA-12 accident near Nikiski, Alaska, April 18, 1997
On April 18, 1997 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N92793, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nikiski, Alaska (Mcgahan Industrial airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper installation of the landing gear wheel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1997 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Nikiski, Alaska · Mcgahan Industrial
- 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
- N92793 · registry record · serial 12-239
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot was practicing takeoff and landings in his airplane. The airplane had previously been equipped with fixed skis. The pilot removed the skis, and replaced them with large tundra tires. The pilot landed at an intermediate airport, and attempted to turn the airplane to the left in preparation for departure. The airplane was hard to turn, and the pilot got out of the airplane and physically moved the tail around to position the airplane for takeoff. After liftoff, the pilot noticed the left wheel and tire fall off the axle. He continued to his destination and landed on a gravel runway at a private airstrip. After touchdown, the right main gear collapsed, folding under the wheel. The airplane received damage to the main landing gear, the right wing spar, and right wing lift struts. An inspection of the airplane revealed the left wheel axle retaining nut was missing.
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: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 1996; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5KS Kasilof AK at 4:30 pm
- Destination: AK73
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N92793 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 ANC97LA053.