Piper PA-12 accident near Stillwater, Minnesota, July 7, 2001
On July 7, 2001, a Piper PA-12, registered N78495, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stillwater, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undermined reasons and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. Additional factors included the power line and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2001
- Place
- Stillwater, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N78495 · registry record · serial 12-3906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A floatplane impacted a tree during a forced landing after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he was climbing out northbound over the river and he, "Made a left bank and engine quit. Leveled wings after losing altitude. Looked and did my engine failure flow and nothing came back. I couldn't make it to the river due to a large tree. I avoided power lines and road and stalled it into some smaller trees and brush. The plane landed upside down." Inspection of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies of the engine or airframe.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,600 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 651 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,838 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8Y4 Rice Lake MN at 11:15 pm
- Destination: Balsam Lake WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
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.
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.