# NTSB WPR20CA316: Piper PA 12, N7754H, Pacific City, OR, September 22, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 22, 2020, 11:40 local (18:40 UTC) - Place: Pacific City, OR - Coordinates: 45.189601, -123.96057 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1896&lon=-123.9606&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 102036 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA316 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102036/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102036 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA316 ## Probable cause A loss of directional control during landing for reasons that could not be determined due to lack of available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, on touchdown the airplane bounced, touched down a second time and pulled to the right. He attempted to correct with elevator and left brake but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and wing lift strut. The pilot reported that after the accident, the airplane was righted and with considerable drag and right-turning tendency, the airplane was pushed to a hangar. The pilot stated that he examined the tailwheel assembly and area and did not find any damage. The pilot also removed the main landing gear tires for transport before an examination could be conducted, thus compromising the integrity of the brake assemblies and precluded an accurate postaccdent follow-up examination of the brake system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7754H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7754H), registered now, S/N 12-652, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA 12 (No Series) - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-652 - Year built: 1946 - Airframe hours: 4189 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 SERIES 150 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Ricardo Byers - Registered owner: Byers Dennis L - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 19, 2019, 61 hours before - Departed: Salem, OR - Destination: KPFC, Pacific City, OR - Airport: PFC, Pacific City State Airport, runway 32, 1,860 × 30 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; flight instructor, flight engineer, commercial, airline transport, private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; last flight review June 23, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 34,307 total, 1,435 in this make and model, 21,860 as pilot in command, 243 in the last 90 days, 87 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200922016289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200922016289A), Sep 22, 2020: Piper PA-12, Pacific City, OR, Substantial damage. Normal approach to landing with light and variable winds. Pilot did not notice or feel as though anything was abnormal. On touch down they had a slight bounce… ## Other investigations on N7754H (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 SEA73DYC34](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA73DYC34), Jun 6, 1973: Piper PA-12 (N7754H), Sandy, OR, substantial damage ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102036. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11560931&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20WPR20CA316_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 774 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12589251&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR20CA316-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.