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Off-Airport Emergency Landing After Engine Power Loss

Fairbanks, AK, United States

On September 23, 2012, a PIPER PA-12 operated by LORRING DAVID W was involved in an aviation accident near Fairbanks, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot made an off-airport emergency landing after the engine lost power during level cruise. The aircraft nosed over, sustaining substantial rudder damage. The pilot reported exhausting the right fuel tank and failing to restart after switching to the left tank.

Incident Overview and Damage Assessment During a level cruise flight, the aircraft's engine lost power, forcing the pilot to execute an off-airport emergency landing. The landing maneuver resulted in the aircraft nosing over, which caused substantial damage to the rudder. ## Pilot's Account of Fuel Management According to the pilot's statement, the incident began when all fuel in the right tank was exhausted. Upon experiencing the loss of engine power, the pilot switched the fuel supply to the left tank. Despite this action, the pilot was unable to restart the engine, leading to the emergency landing.

Contributing factors

PilotFluid level
Fuel exhaustion & starvation

Related events

Same aircraft family

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 23 Sept 2012 PIPER PA-12 accident near Fairbanks, AK?

A pilot made an off-airport emergency landing after the engine lost power during level cruise. The aircraft nosed over, sustaining substantial rudder damage. The pilot reported exhausting the right fuel tank and failing to restart after switching to the left tank.

Were there any fatalities in the 23 Sept 2012 PIPER PA-12 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 23 Sept 2012 involved a PIPER PA-12, operated by LORRING DAVID W, at Fairbanks, AK.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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