Piper PA-12

Aircraft Manufacturer: Piper

Model: PA-12

About the Piper PA-12

The Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser is a three-seat, high-wing, single-engine light aircraft, built by Piper between 1946 and 1948. Within Piper's lineup, the Super Cruiser holds the 7th-largest active registered fleet, and more than 1,000 remain on the U.S. civil registry.

Just over half of all Super Cruisers ever entered on the U.S. registry have since been deregistered.

The model records about 4.6 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years across its FAA-registration exposure. Measured against comparable types matched on aircraft type, engine class, and seat range, the Super Cruiser's rate runs higher than about two-thirds of the cohort. Of the 118 accidents on record, 13 involved a fatality.

Aircraft Details

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer Piper
Manufacturer Serial Number 7101202
Model PA-12
Category Land
Aircraft Type Fixed wing single engine
Cruise Speed 82 MPH / 71 knots
Weight Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight)
Engine Type Reciprocating
Number of Engines 1 engine
Number of Seats 3 seats
Piper PA-12 Photo: Ahunt — public-domain via Wikimedia Commons Have a personal photo of the Piper PA-12? Contact us.

Safety Analysis

Composition of NTSB accident records for this model in general-aviation operations (FAR Part 91 and 137), based on NTSB data as of May 1, 2026. It's a breakdown of recorded accidents rather than a safety rating, and types with significant non-GA operation (such as Part 135) may be under-represented.

98%
Identity Confirmed

Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).


107 exact, 8 recovered, 2 provisional

Methodology
117
Recorded GA Accidents

Total recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.


13 fatal accidents.

11.1% of recorded accidents were fatal.

1,240
Currently Registered

Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.


25,826

Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).


Comparison

Within its peer cohort

Within this model's peer class (same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range), comparison of its share of recorded NTSB accidents to its share of FAA registration exposure (aircraft-years since 2008).

This is a share comparison, not flight-hours adjusted, so a model flown more per airframe than its peers will show an accident share above its exposure share even if its per-hour safety is average. Methodology →

Model class Share of cohort
Accidents
1.6%
Exposure
1.3%
Time series

Accidents by year

Recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents per calendar year, derived directly from the NTSB accident database. Each bar shows the accidents that occurred in that year. Methodology →

Investigations take 12–36 months to finalise, so the trailing years come in incomplete. Recent years are adjusted upward for that lag. Observed counts show as solid bars, the lag-adjusted estimate shows hatched.

2008 – 2026 Total 117
Accidents by year Accidents by year (total 117 observed): 2008 6, 2009 8, 2010 8, 2011 10, 2012 7, 2013 1, 2014 3, 2015 5, 2016 2, 2017 8, 2018 9, 2019 9, 2020 7, 2021 5, 2022 7, 2023 9, 2024 4, 2025 6, 2026 3. 3 6 9 12 0 6 '08 8 '09 8 '10 10 '11 7 '12 1 '13 3 '14 5 '15 2 '16 8 '17 9 '18 9 '19 7 '20 5 '21 7 '22 10 '23 4 '24 7 '25 9 '26
Composition

Phase of flight

Which phase of flight each accident occurred in, as coded by the NTSB. Most accidents happen in the phases where most flying time is concentrated, so this isn't a measure of which phase is most dangerous.

8 categories Total 117
Landing 52
Takeoff 20
Maneuvering 13
Initial climb 11
Enroute 10
Approach 6
Taxi 4
Unknown 1
Causes

Finding category

Top-level NTSB cause category, from the coded investigation findings. An accident often has more than one finding, so totals here can exceed the recorded accident count.

NTSB top-level codes Total 330
Aircraft 125
Personnel issues 125
Environmental issues 72
Not determined 7
Organizational issues 1
Outcomes

Injury severity

NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.

Highest per accident Total 117
None 81
Minor 15
Fatal 13
Serious 8

Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (117)· 135 (4)

Recorded Accidents

All 117 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.

Date Location Tail Damage Highest injury Phase of flight Finding categories
Anchorage, AK N3512M Substantial Fatal Prior to flight Aircraft, Personnel issues
Zephyrhills, FL N3668N Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Talkeetna, AK N3885M Substantial None Enroute Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Fairbanks, AK N4483M Substantial None Enroute Personnel issues, Aircraft
Rye, CO N3031M Substantial Fatal Maneuvering Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Aniak, AK N3615M Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
Green Creek, NJ N4361M Substantial None Maneuvering Personnel issues, Aircraft
Quinhagak, AK N7779H Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Stevensville, MT N2870M Substantial None Landing Aircraft
Idaho Falls, ID N278JB Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Talkeetna, AK N2945M Substantial None Takeoff Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Beluga, AK N78564 Substantial None Takeoff Personnel issues, Environmental issues, Aircraft
North Pole, AK N78463 Substantial None Takeoff Aircraft, Personnel issues
Anchorage, AK N3654M Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Joshua Tree, CA N7510H Substantial Serious Maneuvering Environmental issues, Personnel issues, Aircraft
Delta, AK N92770 Substantial Fatal Initial climb Aircraft, Not determined, Environmental issues, Personnel issues
Gulkana, AK N2318M Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Wasilla, AK N7690H Substantial Minor Prior to flight Aircraft, Personnel issues
Delta Junction, AK N3613M Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Sebago Lake, ME N3806M Substantial Serious Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Merrill Field Airport, AK N4229M Substantial None Takeoff Personnel issues, Aircraft
Valley, WA N2971M Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Environmental issues, Aircraft
Chena Hot Springs, AK N4166M Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Environmental issues
Windy Forks Strip, AK N2534M Substantial None Taxi Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Wild Rose, WI N775PA Substantial None Takeoff Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues

Page 4 of 5 (showing accidents 76–100 of 117).

Data presented on this website is sourced directly from official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. To ensure accuracy, we try not to correct issues such as improper punctuation, spelling errors, empty fields, or unusual labels like "SALE REPORTED" for a registrant. We make every effort to present information as it appears in the FAA database. This website is not affiliated with any government agency.