# Accident 20130630011029A: Piper PA-12, Talkeetna, AK, June 30, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 30, 2013, 17:00 local time
- Place: Talkeetna, AK
- Airport: Talkeetna
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 62.2772° N, 148.7964° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.2772&lon=-148.7964&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3885M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3885M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360 series (registry code 41575, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,200 total, 300 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC13CA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13CA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130630011029A

## Narrative

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

ON 6/30/2013, N3885M DEPARTED TALKEETNA, ALASKA FOR YELLOW JACKET STRIP, NEAR A HUNTING CAMP IN RURAL ALASKA UNDER 14 CFR 91 FLIGHT RULES. WHILE TRYING TO FOLLOW THE TALKEETNA RIVER, THE AIRCRAFT INADVERTENTLY BEGAN FOLLOWING IRON CREEK, WHICH LED TO A BOXED IN CANYON.

WHEN THE AIRMAN REALIZED THE CANYON WAS BOXED IN, HE ATTEMPTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO EXIT THE WAY HE ENTERED. DUE TO THE RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN AND NARROWING CANYON WALLS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE 180 DEGREE TURN AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 3,200 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL WITH THE LEFT WINGTIP, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 ANC13CA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13CA060), Jul 1, 2013: Piper PA-12 (N3885M), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of situational awareness, which resulted in a wrong turn into a box canyon, and an in flight collision with terrain.

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.