Piper PA-12 accident near Rangeley, Maine, October 27, 2023
On October 27, 2023 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA-12, registered N3910M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Rangeley, Maine (Stephen A Bean Muni airport). 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a crosswind, after the right tailwheel spring separated.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2023 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rangeley, Maine · Stephen A Bean Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12, built 1947 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3910M · registry record · serial 12-2808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tailwheel equipped airplane veered to the left during the landing roll and nosed over when the pilot attempted to correct by utilizing the airplane’s brakes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The right tailwheel spring was found disconnected. Subsequent inspection of the right tail-wheel spring revealed tooling marks, and that the attachment loop had been closed back towards its original radius. When asked about the tooling marks on the separated spring, the pilot/owner suggested they may have occurred during a previous annual inspection or “when it fell off a few years ago when I had a bad tailwheel shimmy.” At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 32 with wind from 250° at 5 knots.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,370 hours in all; 252 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,370 as pilot in command; 507 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 9, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,238.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2023; 25.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 3,238 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWK Norridgewock ME at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,299 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from 8B0
Weather report (METAR): K8B0 271835Z AUTO 25005KT 10SM SCT060 SCT080 BKN100 18/13 A2998 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on October 10, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Responses to FAA Questions | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos from Owner | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector's Statement Second Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Materials Laboratory Consult | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Photo Array - Tailwheel Springs | PDF, 3 pages | 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.