Piper PA-12 accident near Lino Lakes, Minnesota, November 20, 1988
On November 20, 1988 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N12MZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lino Lakes, Minnesota (Surfside 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1988 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lino Lakes, Minnesota · Surfside · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N12MZ · registry record · serial 12-2930
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND CLIMBING TO ABOUT 150 AGL, THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE BEGAN SPUTTERING AND LOSING POWER. ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE SITUATION BY PUMPING THE THROTTLE AND WORKING THE ENGINE PRIMER FAILED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED IN A SOFT FIELD RESULTING IN A NOSE OVER AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ENGINE COMPONENTS, NOR ANY FUEL SHORTAGE OR CONTAMINATION. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR THE PROBABILITY OF CARBURETOR ICING ACCORDING TO THE 'ICING PROBABILTY CHARTS'.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MN24 Circle Pines MN at 9:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 1,900 ft by 125 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MSP, 15 miles away
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.