# Accident 20040509012909A: Piper PA12, Hartford, WI, May 9, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 9, 2004, 16:05 local time
- Place: Hartford, WI
- Airport: Hartford Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.3500° N, 88.3917° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3500&lon=-88.3917&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2368M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2368M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA12
- Reported engine: LYC O320A2B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,550 total, 200 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI04CA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04CA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040509012909A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON MAY 9, 2004, AT 1605 CDT, A PIPER PA-12, N2368M, REGISTERED TO PAUL L. BEHRENS, LOST POWER ON CLIMB-OUT AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 18 AT HARTFORD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, HARTFORD, WISCONSIN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM THE RESULTANT FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. NO AIRCRAFT OR POWERPLANT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WERE DISCOVERED. IT IS SUSPECTED MISUSE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR BY THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER, WHO WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRCRAFT, POSITIONED THE FUEL VALVE IN THE OFF POSITION WHEN HE WAS ALLOWED TO PERFORM THE PRETAKEOFF RUN-UP BY THE PROPERLY RATED AND CURRENT PILOT WHO WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. THE FUEL IN THE HEADER TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO PERFORM THE TAKEOFF AND REACH AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET BEFORE BEING EXHAUSTED. THE PLEASURE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.

## 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 CHI04CA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04CA118), May 9, 2004: Piper PA-12 (N2368M), Hartford, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor to the accident was the soft terrain encountered during the forced landing.

## Other reports on N2368M (3)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19940731027069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940731027069A), Jul 31, 1994: Piper PA12 (N2368M), Salem, OR, Minor damage, 2 fatal. During step taxi collided with a canoe. Two fatals in canoe. Area popular for swimmers and boaters. Taxied 35MPH.
- [Accident 19830704032729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830704032729A), Jul 4, 1983: Piper PA12 (N2368M), Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot reported engine quit. Landed in tree studded swamp. No engine defects found. Possible carburetor icing.
- [Accident 19731110038579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19731110038579A), Nov 10, 1973: Piper PA12 (N2368M), Beluga, AK, Substantial damage. Slid into a 10FT deep gully.

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.

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