Piper PA-12 accident near Stockton, Iowa, July 7, 1991
On July 7, 1991 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N7847H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stockton, Iowa (Stockton airport). 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
COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS NOT PERFORMED, WRONG RUNWAY SELECTED AND AIRCRAFT CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A TAILWIND/CROSSWIND COMPONENT AND A ROUGH RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1991 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Stockton, Iowa · Stockton · 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
- N7847H · registry record · serial 12-747
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING A GLIDER TOW OPERATION HE HAD RETURNED FOR LANDING AND FAILED TO NOTICE A WIND SHIFT. THE LANDING WAS MADE WITH A QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A ROUGH SPOT IN THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 767 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 496 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,085 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 15, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,300 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.
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.