Accident Piper PA-12 N3654M, Sunday 4 September 2011
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Date:Sunday 4 September 2011
Time:20:45 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA12 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-12
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N3654M
MSN: 12-2526
Year of manufacture:1947
Engine model:Lycoming O-235 SERIES
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Anchorage-Merrill Field, AK (MRI/PAMR) -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Anchorage, AK
Destination airport:Anchorage-Merrill Field, AK (MRI/PAMR)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot was attempting to land on an unlighted, gravel runway, at dusk, when he inadvertently touched down in a grass-covered drainage ditch, which was right of the gravel runway. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a drainage culvert, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot noted in his written statement to the NTSB that he was unable to discern the difference between the gravel runway and grass-covered terrain due to the low-light conditions, and he mistakenly selected the grass-covered ditch. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Probable Cause: The pilot's misidentification of the runway environment in dusk light conditions.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ANC11CA097
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 3 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ANC11CA097

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

13 March 2017 N3654M Private 0 Anchorage-Merrill Field, AK (MRI/PAMR) sub

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Oct-2022 07:15 ASN Update Bot Added

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