- Date
- December 5, 2024, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Marysvale, UT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1706BPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- 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
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20241205021639A
- Case key
- 199397
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 · 2
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
According to the pilot, he decided to perform a low pass over a frozen, snow-covered lake. During the low pass, the pilot attempted to “knick” the snow with the airplane’s main tires. Upon contacting the snow, the airplane immediately nosed over and came to rest inverted. As a result, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut, 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
- N1706B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1562
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 4,475.64
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- RIF · Ridgefield, UT
- Airport
- RIF
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking 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
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 27, 2024
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,038.2 total · 1,979.8 in this make and model · 1,975.4 as pilot in command · 35.5 in the last 90 days · 8.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.42 inHg
- Observed at
- KFOM, 32 nm away
- METAR
- KFOM 051655Z AUTO 10SM CLR 02/M01 A3042 RMK AO1
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.7 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.