Piper PA 12 accident near Buhl, Idaho, July 14, 2015
On July 14, 2015 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA 12, registered N3795M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Buhl, Idaho (Buhl Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 student/instructed pilot lost directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a runway excursion, and ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2015 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Buhl, Idaho · Buhl 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 NO SERIES, built 1947 · all PA 12s on the register
- Registration
- N3795M · registry record · serial 12-2722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that the student pilot lost directional control during the landing roll. The airplane veered off the runway to the right, the flight instructor took the controls and attempted to abort the landing. The flight instructor reported that for an unknown reason the right brake was engaged, and the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. During a postaccident examination the brake appeared to operate normally.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,700 hours in all; 63 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 4,013 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U03 Buhl ID at 2:45 pm
- Destination: U03 Buhl ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,898 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KTWF, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.