Piper PA-12 accident near Coalville, Utah, March 13, 1983
On March 13, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3743M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coalville, Utah (Private Airstrip 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
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
- March 13, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Coalville, Utah · Private Airstrip · 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
- N3743M · no longer on the register · serial 12-2678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING AN PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO DETERIORATING WEATHER. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING. THE WX CONDITIONS DETERIORATED ENROUTE DUE TO A SNOW STORM AND THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON A PRIVATE STRIP TO AWAIT IMPROVED WEATHER. THE AIRSTRIP SEEMED HARD PACKED ENOUGH WHEN THE PLT SURVEYED IT FROM THE AIR AND IT DID HOLD UP THE ACFT UNTIL IT DECELERATED. THE RIGHT WHEEL SANK INTO THE SNOW AT SLOW SPEED AND THE ACFT 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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: gyroplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,293 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 5,454 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,445 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1982; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBS Steamboat Sprgs CO at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°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 N3743M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.