Piper PA-12 accident near Zephyrhills, Florida, January 18, 2014
On January 18, 2014 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA-12, registered N3668N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Zephyrhills, Florida (Zephyrhills Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing that produced forces beyond the structural capability of the airframe.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2014 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Zephyrhills, Florida · Zephyrhills Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12, built 1947 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3668N · registry record · serial 12-1919
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 4 with surface wind from 275 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 25 knots. The approach was normal, but the airplane touched down long. A gust of wind lifted the left wing high while the pilot input full left aileron controls. He added power while attempting to recover, but the left wing descended, and the left main landing gear subsequently collapsed when the airplane landed hard, which resulted in structural damage to the lower fuselage. The airplane ground looped around the failed gear and came to a stop. The pilot reported that the main gear safety cable, which was designed to prevent airframe damage in the event of a failed main gear bungee, had malfunctioned. A postaccident examination of the braided steel cable revealed that it failed in tension overload, and no evidence of a preimpact anomaly was found. The cable attachment points were secure. The main landing gear bungees were severed. Although the position of the cable before the hard landing could not be determined due to airplane and landing gear damage, the safety cable likely severed the main landing gear bungees during the accident sequence.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 441 hours in all; 295 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 441 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 23, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,282 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X39 Tampa FL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: ZPH Zephyrhills FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 4,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from ZPH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on May 27, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence with FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record - Zph Weather Data | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1. Aircraft Fuselage from Left Side (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 2. Aircraft Fuselage from Lower Left Side (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 3. Underside of Fuselage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo 4. Main Landing Gear Bungee (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo 5. Main Landing Gear Safety Cable | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Photo 6. Main Landing Gear Safety Cable, Failed End | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photo 7. Main Landing Gear Safety Cable, Failed End | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.