# Accident 20171122019699A: Piper PA-12, Dickinson, ND, November 22, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 22, 2017, 13:00 local time
- Place: Dickinson, ND
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.0214° N, 102.8103° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.0214&lon=-102.8103&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4040M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4040M-2020-01-31) (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 PA-12
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 185 total, 78 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171122019699A

## Narrative

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

AIRMEN EXECUTED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF FROM AN OFF AIRPORT LOCATION. THE LOCATION WAS AN INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT YARD. THE TAKEOFF AREA WAS A PACKED GRAVEL SURFACE WITH BUMPS AND LARGE RUTS AND HAS A RISE IN INCLINE OF ABOUT 12 FT FROM THE START OF TAKEOFF AREA TO END OF TAKEOFF AREA. THE TAKEOFF AREA WAS SURROUNDED BY SEMIS, SEMI TRAILERS, AND CONEX CONTAINERS AND ON THE DAY OF ACCIDENT, THE WIND VELOCITY WAS GUSTING INTO THE 30'S. THE TAKEOFF AREA AVAILABLE MEASURED APPROX. 750 FT. ACCORDING TO WITNESS, THE PILOT STARTED THE TAKEOFF ROLL AT A POINT THAT ALLOTTED 650 FT OF TAKEOFF DISTANCE AVAILABLE. THE PILOT BEGAN THE TAKEOFF BY HOLDING BREAKS, PUT IN 2 NOTCHES OF FLAPS, APPLIED FULL POWER, RELEASED THE BREAKS AND BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL. AT APPROXIMATELY 30KTS, THE TAIL LIFTED OFF AND THE PILOT APPLIED FULL FLAPS TO TRY JUMP THE TUNDRA TIRES OFF THE GROUND. AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, HE BEGAN DECREASING THE FLAPS, WHEN A POSSIBLE GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING AND DIPPED THE RIGHT WING STRIKING THE GROUND. THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT WAS VIDEOING THE TAKEOFF AND WHEN THE WING STRUCK, THE PASSENGER MOVED THE CAMERA WHICH REVEALS THE AIRCRAFTS LOCATION ALONG THE TAKEOFF AREA. WHILE PILOT WAS INPUTTING FULL LEFT AILERON AND RUDDER TO CORRECT FOR THE WING DIPPING, THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROACHING THE END OF TAKEOFF AREA.  THE PILOT SAID HE CONFIRMED FULL POWER WAS SET. PASSENGER STATES IT APPEARED AS THOUGH THE PILOT STARTED TO TURN TO THE RIGHT TOWARD WHAT APPEARED TO BE A GAP IN THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS PARKED AT THE END OF TAKEOFF AREA. AT THAT TIME, THE AIRPLANE MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN AND THE WING STOOD PERPENDICULAR TO THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND DESCENDED VERTICALLY AND CRASHED AND ENDED UP INVERTED ON TOP OF 3 FLAT-BED TRAILERS. THE PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO UNBUCKLE HIMSELF, KICK THE DOOR OUT, AND CRAWL OUT. PASSENGER TRIED TO ASSIST THE PILOT BY UNBUCKLING HIS SEATBELT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT BECAUSE HIS LEG WAS LODGED IN THE WRECKAGE SO HE REMAINED HANGING UPSIDE DOWN UNTIL RESCUERS ARRIVED. THE PASSENGER HAD MINOR INJURIES AND THE PILOT SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG/ANKLE AND REQUIRED AT LEAST 2 SURGERIES. AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED.

## 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 CEN18LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA039), Nov 22, 2017: Piper PA 12 (N4040M), Dickinson, ND, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to attain adequate airspeed during the short field takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

## Other reports on N4040M (2)

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

- [Accident 19990307014119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990307014119A), Mar 7, 1999: Piper PA12 (N4040M), Big Lake, AK, Substantial damage. (.19) On March 7, 1999, about 1540 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped, Piper PA-12, N4040M, sustained substantial damage while landing on the frozen…
- [Accident 19770916031339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770916031339A), Sep 16, 1977: Piper PA12 (N4040M), Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. Landing on sandbar in susitna river.

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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