Piper PA-12 accident near Gonvick, Minnesota, August 28, 2009
On August 28, 2009, a Piper PA-12, registered N2409M, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Gonvick, Minnesota. 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
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2009
- Place
- Gonvick, Minnesota · map
- 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
- N2409M · registry record · serial 12-1526
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he intended to fly the float-equipped airplane for approximately one hour to practice for his airplane sea rating. During the flight, the engine lost 100 revolutions per minute (RPMs) on four or five different occasions. At 1,000 feet above ground level, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed the fuselage was buckled. A postaccident inspection and test run of the engine failed to reveal any mechanical anomalies. The nearest weather reporting facility, located 10 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, recorded a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius (C) and a dew point of 18 degrees C at the time of the accident. Review of the carburetor ice probability chart revealed that the temperature and dew point were conducive to serious icing conditions at glide power. The airplane was equipped with carburetor heat, but the pilot stated that he did not use it. The pilot reported a total of 1,859 flight hours and 12 flight hours in the accident airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel related during maneuvering
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › (general) › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,859 hours in all; 12 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 8, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,508 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,838 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gonvick MN at 11:50 pm
- Destination: Gonvick MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.