- Date
- February 4, 2023, 15:05 local (22:05 UTC)
- Place
- Porterville, UT · Private airstrip near Porterville
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3969BPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230204000419A
- Case key
- 106691
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 clearance from snow covered terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, the intention of the flight was to sight see and look at some local airstrips to determine their conditions. He noticed fresh tracks in the snow at an airstrip he was familiar with and decided to do a low pass to inspect further. On the third low approach he misjudged the tailwheel airplane’s height above the snow and the main wheels contacted and dug in. The pilot attempted a go-around however the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing struts, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3969B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12 (12-278)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-278
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 4,743
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320A1B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 22, 2022 · 72 hours before
- Departed
- OGD · Ogden, UT
- Destination
- OGD · Ogden, UT
- Airport
- 15UT · Field of Dreams, runway 8, 1,438 × 100 ft, snow
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 36
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 12, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 7,434 total · 218 in this make and model · 7,243 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KSLC, 17 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KSLC 041954Z 36004KT 4SM HZ FEW230 05/M03 A3025 RMK AO2 SLP250 T00501028=K
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 23, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.