Piper PA 12 accident near Manassas, Virginia, August 1, 2019
On August 1, 2019 at about 5:50 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA 12, registered N3447M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas Rgnl/Harry P Davis Fi airport). 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2019 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas Rgnl/Harry P Davis Fi · 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
- N3447M · registry record · serial 12-2065
- 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 landing roll, the airplane veered right. The pilot attempted to correct the right veer with left rudder pedal, but his foot slipped. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- 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 › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 21, 2017
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 9, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 150 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEF Washington DC at 5:45 pm
- Destination: HEF Washington DC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 3,715 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from KHEF
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 December 5, 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 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.