Piper PA-12 accident near Lowman, Idaho, October 25, 1992
On October 25, 1992 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3743M, was destroyed in an accident near Lowman, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS INCLUDE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN, TREES, AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 1992 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lowman, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3743M · no longer on the register · serial 12-2678
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-12 SPENT ABOUT 45 MINUTES MANEUVERING AT LOW LEVEL IN AND AROUND STEEP CANYONS IN THE ROUGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HE THEN LANDED AT THE REMOTE FOREST SERVICE AIRSTRIP, AND SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR ON THE GROUND. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRSTRIP, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING LESS THAN 50 FEET ABOVE TREETOP LEVEL ALONG AN UNEVEN FORESTED RIDGE. WITNESSES INDICATED THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT BEHIND SOME TREES ABOUT FIVE SECONDS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY, AND AT OR NEAR FULL POWER, UNTIL THEY HEARD THE NOISE FROM THE IMPACT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 192 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A3B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: U45 Graham Airstrip ID at 5:45 pm
- Destination: BOI Boise ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3743M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.