# Accident 20231027017999A: Piper PA-12, Rangley, ME, October 27, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 27, 2023, 14:30 local time
- Place: Rangley, ME
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.9926° N, 70.6600° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9926&lon=-70.6600&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3910M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3910M) (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 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,800 total, 250 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA024) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231027017999A

## Narrative

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

PIC INDICATED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS UNEVENTFUL.  3-POINT LANDING.  SLIGHT TAILWHEEL SHIMMY, AND AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER LEFT. PIC CORRECTED WITH ADDITIONAL RIGHT RUDDER, LITTLE EFFECT, ADDED POWER, MORE VEER TO THE LEFT.  ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT DRIFT WITH RIGHT BRAKE, OVER COMPENSATED, ADDED SMALL AMOUNT OF LEFT BRAKE.  AIRCRAFT TAIL BECAME AIRBORNE AND AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER, COMING TO REST IN THE TOP OF WINGS, FUSELAGE ROOF, AND TOP OF RUDDER.

WHILE THE PILOT WAS WAITING FOR FAA APPROVAL TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT, A LOCAL PILOT NOTICED THE RIGHT TAILWHEEL SPRING WAS MISSING.  SEVERAL LOCAL PILOTS COMBED THE RUNWAY AND FOUND THE RIGHT TAILWHEEL STEERING SPRING APPX. 300-400 FEET PRIOR TO THE RESTING POINT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

PER REQUEST OF THE NTSB, BOTH TAIL WHEEL SPRINGS SENT TO THE NTSB FOR FURTHER EXAMANATION.

## 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 ERA24LA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA024), Oct 27, 2023: Piper PA-12 (N3910M), Rangeley, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a crosswind, after the right tailwheel spring separated.

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.