- Date
- December 12, 2002, 16:30 local (Dec 13, 2002, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fallon, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N87800Piper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20021212033719A
- Case key
- 56208
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a low altitude maneuver. Contributing factors were the inadequate passenger briefing regarding the flight controls and the passenger's inadvertent use of the rudder.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was demonstrating the airplane for a prospective buyer. The pilot was simulating an approach to land with the prospective buyer following through on the flight controls. During a turn to simulated final approach, the prospective buyer inadvertently applied left rudder. The pilot corrected with right aileron, which resulted in the airplane slipping and then impacting the ground. The pilot recommended better instruction to passengers to prevent future accidents. Post accident flight control continuity was established.
Factual narrative
On December 12, 2002, about 1630 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-12, N87800, collided with terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering near Fallon, Nevada. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 for the local area flight. The pilot was demonstrating the borrowed airplane for a prospective buyer. The pilot and passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that departed Fallon Municipal Airport about 1600.
In a written statement submitted by the pilot, he stated that the prospective buyer requested the pilot fly for the demonstration. The flight departed Fallon Municipal with the pilot in the front seat and the prospective buyer in the rear seat. The pilot was demonstrating an approach to land with the prospective buyer following on the controls. During a turn to a simulated "final," the prospective buyer inadvertently applied left rudder. The pilot applied right aileron to correct; however, the airplane entered a slip and then impacted the ground. The pilot recommended better instruction to passengers to prevent future accidents. The pilot also reported having about 100 hours flight time in the make and model of the accident airplane with about 2,900 hours total time.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector completed a post accident examination. Continuity was established for all flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N87800
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2
- Airframe hours
- 2,329
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Albert Lattin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 25, 2002 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- FLX · Fallon, NV
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2001
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,900 total · 100 in this make and model · 2,880 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- RNO, 47 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.