Piper PA-12 accident near Idaho Falls, Idaho, May 12, 2012
On May 12, 2012 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N278JB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Idaho Falls, Idaho (Idaho Falls Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and subsequent failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2012 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Idaho Falls, Idaho · Idaho Falls Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N278JB · no longer on the register · serial 12-863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and his passenger departed from the pilot's home airport for a brief personal flight. About 10 minutes later, the pilot returned to the airport traffic area and entered the traffic pattern. In his initial telephone interview with the NTSB, the pilot reported that there "was a crosswind, with some gusting," and that the airplane bounced after its initial touchdown. It then bounced several more times, ground looped, and veered off the runway, substantially damaging the left wing. The pilot reported that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. In his subsequent written statement to the NTSB, the pilot reported that, while on the downwind leg, he was asked by the controller to "keep [the] pattern short," since his airplane was slow and there was another airplane behind him. The pilot said that he landed close behind a Cessna 182 that had just departed. The pilot was uncertain whether the bounces and loss of control were due to the wind or to the wake turbulence from the departing airplane. The automated weather observation at the airport, which was posted about 2 minutes before the accident, included variable wind at 4 knots.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 860 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 17, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,915 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IDA Idaho Falls ID at 10:45 pm
- Destination: IDA Idaho Falls ID
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 35, 4,051 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:53 pm from IDA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.