Piper PA-12 accident near Baker City, Oregon, November 9, 2023
On November 9, 2023 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1947 Piper PA-12, registered N418BS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Baker City, Oregon (Baker City 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 inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2023 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Baker City, Oregon · Baker City 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, built 1947 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N418BS · registry record · serial 12-2831
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported a total loss of engine power resulting from fuel exhaustion, approximately one mile from the airport. While executing a forced landing in a farm field, a strong crosswind gust raised one wing. The pilot was unable to recover from this since no power authority was available. When the airplane contacted terrain, the landing gear and wingtip struck the ground, and the airplane ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Fuel exhaustion during landing defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,764 hours in all; 753.8 in this make and model; 6.4 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 12, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 2023; 11.9 hours since
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 4,672 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mitchell OR at 6:45 pm
- Destination: BKE Baker City OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KBKE
Weather report (METAR): KBKE 091953Z AUTO 12018G25KT 10SM CLR 07/M01 A3024 RMK AO2 PK WND 11026/1924 SLP264 T00721011
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 June 6, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | 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.