# Accident 19980830036109A: Piper PA12, Birchwood, AK, August 30, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 30, 1998, 08:00 local time - Place: Birchwood, AK - Airport: Birchwood Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 61.4096° N, 149.1701° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4096&lon=-149.1701&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3200M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3200M) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA12 - Reported engine: LYC O320* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 600 total, 35 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA137) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980830036109A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON AUGUST 30, 1998, ABOUT 0800 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-12 AIRPLANE, M3200M, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 19 AT THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT, CHUGIAK, ALASKA. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT OPERATED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT LAST DEPARTED SOLDOTNA, ALASKA, ABOUT 0715, AND THE DESTINATION WAS THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS DISCOVERED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO SAW THE DAMAGED AIRPLANE PARKED ON THE RAMP AT THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT ON SEPTEMBER 1, AND REPORTED IT TO THE NTSB. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH AN NTSB INVESTIGATOR ON SEPTEMBER 1 AT 1600, THE PILOT RELATED THAT WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 19, HE ATTEMPED TO APPLY THE BRAKES. DURING BRAKE APPLICATION, THE RIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING. (.4) ON AUGUST 30, 1998, ABOUT 0800 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE, TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-12 AIRPLANE, N3200M, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 19 AT THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT, CHUGIAK, ALASKA. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT OPERATED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT LAS DEPARTED SOLDOTNA, ALASKA, ABOUT 0715, AND THE DESTINATION WAS THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS DISCOVERED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO SAW THE DAMAGED AIRPLANE PARKED ON THE RAMP AT THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT ON SEPTEMBER 1, AND REPORTED IT TO THE NTSB. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH AN NTSB INVESTIGATOR ON SEPTEMBER 1, AT 1600, THE PILOT RELATED THAT WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 19, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES. DURING BRAKE APPLICATION, THE RIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BY TWO FAA ANCHORAGE FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE INSPECTORS, AND A CERTIFICATED AVIATION MECHANIC, DISCLOSED NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE RIGHT BRAKE, OR THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN GENERAL. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY BEEN EQUIPPED WITH 29 INCH TUNDRA TIRES, AND THE ACCIDENT LANDING WAS ON A HARD-SURFACED, DRY RUNWAY. FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 23.733-1, RE TUNDRA TIRES, STATES, IN PART: "TUNDRA TIRES REDUCE AN AIRPLANE'S DIRECTIONAL STABILITY AND CONTROLLABILITY DURING TAKEOFF AND LANDING GROUND ROLLS, INCREASE ITS TENDENCY TO GROUND LOOP DURING TAKEOFF AND LANDING GROUND ROLLS, AND INCREASE ITS TENDENCY TO NOSE OVER DURING LANDING MORE ON PAVED SURFACES THAN DO GRAVEL, GRASS, AND OTHER SURFACES THAT ALLOW THE TIRES TO SKID EASILY." (-23) ON 30 AUGUST 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 ADT, A GAR-AERO TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED PIPER PA-12 AIRCRAFT, N3200M, GROUND LOOPED AFTER LANDING ON RUNWAY 19 AT THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT, CUGIAK ALASKA. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, THE AFT SPAR WAS BUCKLED AND THE WING TIP WAS DAMAGED. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FORWARD LEG IS BENT INWARD APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES JUST ABOVE THE GEAR LEG GUSSET DOUBLER. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC98LA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA137), Aug 30, 1998: Piper PA-12 (N3200M), Chugiak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent ground loop of the airplane during the landing roll. ## Other reports on N3200M (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20260910012379I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260910012379I), Sep 10, 2026: Piper PA-12 (N3200M), Birchwood, AK, Substantial damage. On September 10, 2026, at 14:15 AKDT, a Piper PA-12 super cruiser was involved in a ground collision with a light pole at bcv airport in Birchwood, Alaska. The… - [Incident 19780629034159I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780629034159I), Jun 29, 1978: Piper PA12 (N3200M), Whittier, AK, Minor damage. Pilot bounced on landing, had directional control problem. Tried to go arund, went off runway end. - [Accident 19740621026199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19740621026199A), Jun 21, 1974: Piper PA12 (N3200M), Escondido, CA, Substantial damage. Eng quit,lnded in trees From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.