Piper PA-12 accident near Terrell, Texas, March 22, 2002
On March 22, 2002 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3687M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Terrell, Texas (Terrell Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 inadequate supervision by the flight instructor resulting in the dual student's failure to maintain the proper glidepath during the short field approach. A contributing factor was the downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2002 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Terrell, Texas · Terrell Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3687M · registry record · serial 12-2535
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the tailwheel endorsement flight, the private pilot was performing a short field landing to the runway when tree branches hit the fuselage, and the right wing struck the trees. Subsequently, the airplane slowed, nosed down, and turned right. The flight instructor recalled applying left aileron and left rudder with little or no effect, and the airplane hit the ground. The flight instructor believed that the airplane encountered a sink rate which he did not detect. He further stated that "the deterioring flight path went undetected" by him since he thought the airplane had cleared the area of the trees, which caused him to "under utilize visual clues more to the sides of the approach path." The pilot reported the wind was from the north-northwest at 5-15 mph and "bumpy."
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 29,633 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 26,716 as pilot in command; 6,339 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 7, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,590 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 2001; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRL Terrell TX at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.