Piper PA 12 accident near Pacific City, Oregon, September 22, 2020
On September 22, 2020 at about 6:40 pm local time, a 1946 Piper PA 12, registered N7754H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pacific City, Oregon (Pacific City State 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
A loss of directional control during landing for reasons that could not be determined due to lack of available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2020 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Pacific City, Oregon · Pacific City State 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 No Series, built 1946 · all PA 12s on the register
- Registration
- N7754H · registry record · serial 12-652
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, on touchdown the airplane bounced, touched down a second time and pulled to the right. He attempted to correct with elevator and left brake but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and wing lift strut. The pilot reported that after the accident, the airplane was righted and with considerable drag and right-turning tendency, the airplane was pushed to a hangar. The pilot stated that he examined the tailwheel assembly and area and did not find any damage. The pilot also removed the main landing gear tires for transport before an examination could be conducted, thus compromising the integrity of the brake assemblies and precluded an accurate postaccdent follow-up examination of the brake system.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 34,307 hours in all; 1,435 in this make and model; 243 in the last 90 days; 87 in the last 30 days; 21,860 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 23, 2020
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,189 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 19, 2019; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,930 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 2,433 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Salem OR at 6:10 pm
- Destination: KPFC Pacific City OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 1,860 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.