Piper PA-12 accident near Stevensville, Montana, July 4, 2012
On July 4, 2012 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2870M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Stevensville, Montana (Stevensville 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The separation of the left rudder control cable from the rudder bellcrank, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2012 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Stevensville, Montana · Stevensville Airport · 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
- N2870M · registry record · serial 12-1199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane suddenly veered to the right. Despite his control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the right and ground looped, which resulted in structural damage to the left wingtip and aileron. Examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that the nicopress fitting on the left rudder control cable had failed, which disconnected the cable from the rudder bellcrank. No additional preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation were reported.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,943 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,541 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,136 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 2012; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1U1 Moose Creek ID at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 32S Stevensville MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from MSO, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 WPR12CA293.