Piper PA 12 accident near Sisters, Oregon, April 10, 2019
On April 10, 2019 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1946 Piper PA 12, registered N92798, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sisters, Oregon (Sisters Eagle Air airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2019 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 2019
- Place
- Sisters, Oregon · Sisters Eagle Air · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 12 No Series, built 1946 · all PA 12s on the register
- Registration
- N92798 · no longer on the register · serial 12-244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the approach, the wind speed increased and became turbulent. He recalled that, during the landing roll, "I immediately applied a slight amount of forward stick," but when the tailwheel contacted the surface, "the wind suddenly changed to a tailwind," and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder, both wing lift struts, and the engine mounts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest METAR, located at an airport 1 mile away from the accident site, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 290° at 10 knots, visibility was 10 statute miles, and the clouds were broken at 6,500 ft mean sea level and deteriorating. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 20.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 6,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 28, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Last flight review: April 17, 2017
- Medical certificate: None (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,771 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 1,713 hours total
- Operator: Tailwheel Productions Llc
The flight
- Departed from: S33 Madras OR at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 65K Sisters OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,560 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.42 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from KPDX, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of damage to the rudder
Photo 2 – View of the rudder horns still attached while the airplane is invertedThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 15, 2019. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N92798: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser 1,247 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,311 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Sisters Eagle Air Airport · nearest airport
- Madras Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,012 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA19CA202.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.