Piper PA-12 accident near Alpena, Michigan, August 12, 1984
On August 12, 1984 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N98967, was destroyed in an accident near Alpena, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1984 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Alpena, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N98967 · no longer on the register · serial 12-322
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ACFT FLEW AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE OVER THE LAKE PERFORMING WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SERIES OF STALLS AND RECOVERIES WITH THE ACFT CLIMBING STEEPLY TO APRX 150 FT ABOVE THE LAKE AND THEN DROPPING SHARPLY BACK DOWN WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE WATER. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT PULL UP ABRUPTLY AS IT REACHED THE SOUTH SHORELINE WHERE A FOREST OF TREES WERE GROWN TO APRX 100 FT.WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO STALL AND ROLL SHARPLY TO THE LEFT, DESCENDING INTO THE TREES. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, FLT CONTROLS, ENG OR PROP PRIOR TO IMPACT.
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: 800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: APN Alpena MI at 3:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from APN, 15 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.
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.