Piper PA-12 accident near Mukilteo, Washington, July 9, 2007
On July 9, 2007 at about 1:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3964M, was destroyed in an accident near Mukilteo, Washington (Snohomish Co (Paine Field)). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to refuel the airplane, either before departure or at any of the alternate airports en route.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2007 · about 1:37 pm local time
- Place
- Mukilteo, Washington · Snohomish Co (Paine Field) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3964M · no longer on the register · serial 12-2846
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with trees during a forced landing after the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion on approach to the pilot's destination airport. The pilot said that during the his preflight inspection he did not visually ascertain the quantity of fuel in the tanks. En route to his destination he flew past several airports, beaches, and roads. Following the loss of power, the airplane descended into trees about 3,000 feet short of the destination runway. The pilot indicated that during the flight no mechanical malfunctions were experienced.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7WA3 Friday Harbor WA at 1:00 pm
- Destination: PAE Mukilteo WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 9,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.