Piper PA 12 accident near Skwentna, Alaska, June 27, 2019
On June 27, 2019 at about 7:45 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA 12, registered N3914M, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Skwentna, Alaska. It was a personal 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 use of excessive brakes during an aborted takeoff, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2019 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, 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
- N3914M · registry record · serial 12-2812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll from a backcountry airstrip, about midpoint, the airplane failed to lift off, so he aborted the takeoff. He reduced the throttle and applied the brakes. As the airplane slowed and while the pilot was reaching for the mixture lever, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 280 hours in all; 235 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,086 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK
- Destination: Skwentna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PATK, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 16, 2020. 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 | Accident Photo | PDF, 2 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.