20250613006209A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-12 · Fairbanks, AK · June 13, 2025

Date: June 13, 2025 · 16:30 local
Place: Fairbanks, AK
Airport: Fischer Home Strip
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3846M
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC25LA051
Reported as: Piper PA-12
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 126 total126 in this make and model29 in the last 90 days

N3846MRegistered now · Piper PA-12S/N 12-2757 Airframe modelPiper PA-12 Engine modelLycoming 0-290 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot atempted landing on a 550 ft grass strip. Air temperature was 85 degree f and noted a light tailwind. Executed a go around. On second landing attempt, he again aborted landing and the aircraft struck a tree at the opposite end of runway causing the aircraft to crash causing substantial damage to the aircraft

As the FAA filed it

PILOT ATEMPTED LANDING ON A 550 FT GRASS STRIP. AIR TEMPERATURE WAS 85 DEGREE F AND NOTED A LIGHT TAILWIND. EXECUTED A GO AROUND. ON SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT, HE AGAIN ABORTED LANDING AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE AT THE OPPOSITE END OF RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CRASH CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC25LA051Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportFairbanks, AKThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during a go-around with a tailwind.Jun 14, 2025 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3846M · 1

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

Accident 20000614009039ADutch John, UT(-23) On June 14, 2000, at 1505 MDT Piper PA-12 N3846M sustained substantial damage when it departed the right side of the runway at Dutch John, UT. The private pilot who was the sole occupant was not injuried. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for…Jun 14, 2000 · No damage