Piper PA 12 accident near Gulkana, Alaska, August 26, 2017
On August 26, 2017 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA 12, registered N3233M, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Gulkana, Alaska. It was a ferry 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 pilot’s inadequate in-flight fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2017 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gulkana, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 12 NO SERIES, built 1947 · all PA 12s on the register
- Registration
- N3233M · registry record · serial 12-2027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was transporting hunters to a remote cabin. The flight was a 146-mile multileg flight, which departed with about 20 gallons of fuel, which he believed was sufficient for the approximate 2-hour flight with about 30 minutes for fuel reserve. The pilot reported that visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight, but he noted that, due to low stratus clouds and rain showers, he diverted from his planned flightpath. He added that, on the last leg of the flight, the unanticipated headwind component was about 15 to 25 mph. About 2 miles from his destination, fuel exhaustion occurred, and the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot deviated from his destination to a river to execute a forced landing. While on the base-to-final leg on landing approach, the headwind changed to a tailwind, and the airplane landed in a left-wing-low orientation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Other weather encounter during enroute
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 314 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 31, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,378.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,933 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 2,057 hours total
- Operator: Wrangell Mountain Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Remote Cabin AK
- Destination: GKN Gulkana AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.57 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PAGK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N3233M 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.