Piper PA-12 accident near Sun Valley, Idaho, July 5, 1987
On July 5, 1987 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3438M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sun Valley, Idaho (Friedman Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1987 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sun Valley, Idaho · Friedman Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3438M · registry record · serial 122276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING TOUCHDOWN, PLT ENCOUNTERED SWIRLING WINDS. ACFT DRIFTED LEFT AND INTO AIRPORT BOUNDARY (CYCLONE-TYPE) FENCE.
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: 1,350 hours in all; 745 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1,227 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,707 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1986; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WYS W.Yellowstone MT at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from SUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA87LA132.