Piper PA 12 accident near Ridgefield, Washington, January 29, 2015
On January 29, 2015 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA 12, registered N918TF, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Ridgefield, Washington. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed action to use carburetor heat before the engine experienced a total loss of power while operating at cruise flight in conditions conducive to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2015 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgefield, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 12, built 1947 · all PA 12s on the register
- Registration
- N918TF · registry record · serial 12-2232
- 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 15 minutes after takeoff, during cruise flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power. She pulled the carburetor heat control knob on, and initiated a forced landing to a grassy field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with heavy vegetation, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. About 30 minutes prior to the accident, a weather station located about 10 nautical miles from the accident site reported a temperature of 48 degrees F and dew point of 43 degrees F. These weather conditions were conductive to the high probability of carburetor ice formation, with the potential for serious icing at cruise power. During the postaccident engine examination, the engine was prepared for an engine run. The engine was started and run with no mechanical failures or malfunctions noted that would have precluded normal operation.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,025 hours in all; 172 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2,818 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,010 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 2,999 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VUO Vancouver WA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: VUO Vancouver WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KVUO, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N918TF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR15CA095.