Piper Aircraft · Single-engine piston plane
Piper Cub family (J-3, PA-12, PA-18 Super Cub)
Is the Piper Cub family (J-3, PA-12, PA-18 Super Cub) safe? It ranks Shared rankWithin 1 point of other aircraft types: the difference is not meaningful.More in the glossary of 23 small planes we rate, with 55 fatal accidents counted in about 8.4 million US flights since 2008.
Likely range 43 to 54
How the score is built
- Fatal accidents
- 55 in 8.4 million flights
6.6 fatal accidents per million flights. Counted: all civil flights in the United States since 2008 (private, training, charter and other), accidents and unexplained losses; not counted: accidents outside the United States or before 2008, military, test and illegal flights, sabotage, hijackings, shoot-downs and deliberate crew acts.
- Full-loss equivalents
- 50
Each counted accident adds the share of people on board who died (1 = no survivors). This is what the score is based on.
- Flights flown
- 8.4 million
Estimated flights of all kinds in the United States since 2008. Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 8,388 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.67, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 0.94 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 60 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
- Technology generation
- Single-engine piston plane
Small fleets are pulled toward the record of the other types of their generation: 5.6 full-loss equivalents per million flights over 210 million flights. Weight of this family's own record: 97%.
- Likely range
- 43 to 54
The score is 90% likely to lie in this range, given how few accidents a type has and the error in the estimate of its flights.
- Last fatal accident
- 17 September 2026
Private, Northway, AK, United States of America: 2 of 2 people on board died.
- Aircraft destroyed
- 16
Aircraft the NTSB coded as destroyed in an accident in the United States since 2008, fatal or not, from all causes. The NTSB codes many wrecks as only substantially damaged, so the real number is higher (context only, not in the score).
Compared with everyday risks
One flight on the Piper Cub family (J-3, PA-12, PA-18 Super Cub) carries about the same risk of death as the activities near it below.
- An hour's walk1 in 14 million
- Driving 100 miles (160 km)1 in 5.9 million
- An ordinary day: accidents and violence1 in 1 million
- A day of skiing1 in 830,000
- A scuba dive1 in 500,000
- Cycling 100 miles (160 km)1 in 430,000
- Running a marathon1 in 290,000
- A skydive1 in 250,000
- One flight on the Piper Cub family (J-3, PA-12, PA-18 Super Cub)This aircraft1 in 170,000
- A general anaesthetic1 in 100,000
- Riding a motorbike 100 miles (160 km)1 in 83,000
Accident history
55 fatal accidents in the United States since 2008 count toward the score, with 77 people on board killed.
| Date | Flight | Killed | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrivatePiper PA-18-150 · Northway, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a Part 135 air taxi flight moving a packer between moose camps near Northway, Alaska, the Super Cub crashed across the creek soon after taking off from the Snag strip; the pilot and the packer died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C-65 · Dillingham, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | About 200 ft up after a touch-and-go beside runway 19 at Dillingham, Alaska, the J3 Cub's engine briefly lost power and restarted; the nose rose, the left wing stalled and it fell onto the runway inverted. The pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorPiper J3C-65 · Dunlap, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On a lesson ending at the owner's private strip near Dunlap, Tennessee, the J3 Cub hit trees and came down beside the grass runway. The commercial pilot died and his trainee was badly hurt and could not recall the flight. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C-65 · Wilson, KS, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying home from lunch at Lucas, Kansas, with a friend in another aircraft, the J3 Cub was in a shallow climb 1,200 to 1,500 ft up when it banked right, nose low, and hit the ground near Wilson; the pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18-150 · Mcgrath, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Dropping supplies to a hunting guide near McGrath, Alaska, the pilot flew slow, low passes over a ridge strip, his first landing there of the season; turning right, the Super Cub dived nearly vertically into the ridge and he died. NTSB: a stall while manoeuvring to land.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorPiper PA-18-150 · Moose Pass, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a float rating lesson from Trail Lake, Moose Pass, Alaska, the float-equipped Super Cub did not return; floating wreckage was found on Crescent Lake and divers recovered the aircraft and both pilots, who had died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18-150 · Anchor Point, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After crossing Cook Inlet from King Salmon toward Homer, Alaska, the Super Cub was filmed falling in an inverted flat spin near Anchor Point with part of its left wing folded; both died. The NTSB could not determine what struck the wing or when.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Neitz Aviation IncPiper PA-18-150 · St. Mary's, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying moose meat out of a hunting camp near St Mary's, Alaska, on a Part 135 flight, the pilot took off over the maximum weight with antlers tied to a wing strut; the Super Cub lost control in turbulence and downdrafts and he died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Remote Air AlaskaPiper PA-18-150 · Skwentna, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a Part 135 charter flying a hunter to a base camp about 60 mi northwest of Skwentna, Alaska, the Super Cub hit terrain and was destroyed; the pilot and passenger died. The wreck could not be recovered, and the NTSB could not determine why it crashed.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Jack Browns Seaplane Base IncPiper J3C · Winter Haven, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Returning to its seaplane base at Winter Haven, Florida, the float-equipped J3 Cub collided almost head-on at 465 ft with a Piper PA-28 practising landings at the next airport. The instructor and student in each aircraft died. The NTSB found neither crew saw the other.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18 · Chickaloon, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying low over a river near Chickaloon, Alaska, the student pilot's Super Cub hit an unmarked cable strung some 30 ft over the water; both wings tore off and he died. The NTSB cited his choice to fly that low.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-12 · Arctic Village, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Leaving a gravel strip near Arctic Village, Alaska, after a solo hunt, the pilot flew up a mountain valley 300 to 400 ft above the ground, then turned sharply left and the PA-12 hit the ground; he died. The NTSB cited his choice to depart in turbulent, gusty wind.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C-65 · Cynthiana, KY, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | With a thunderstorm approaching, the pilot turned back to Cynthiana, Kentucky, soon after takeoff and flew a low, nonstandard approach with a sharp left turn; the J3 Cub stalled. The passenger died and the pilot was badly hurt.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Paramount Air Service IncPiper PA12 · Middle Township, NJ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On his first flight of the day at Paramount Air, New Jersey, a banner pilot two months in the job missed the pickup and climbed almost vertically, appearing to kick the rudder at the top; the PA-12 stalled, spun and hit the ground. He died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Barnstormers Aerial Advertising LLCPiper PA-12 · North Myrtle Beach, SC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Just after picking up a banner near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the PA-12 pitched up steeply at high power and low speed, stalled and dived almost vertically into the ground 300 ft from the pickup zone. The pilot died. The NTSB cited a stall too low to recover.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-12 · Seagraves, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | A pilot who hoped to fly crop dusters had for weeks flown low ag-style maneuvers over fields near Seagraves, Texas; a farmer found the PA-12 wrecked in a field, and he had died. The NTSB found it stalled and spun while maneuvering.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C-65 · Adrian, MO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot took off alone from his private grass strip near Adrian, Missouri, and did not return; the J3 Cub was found next morning nose down in a cornfield 300 yards from the strip. No fault was found. The NTSB cited a loss of control and a stall.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Cub Air Flight LLCPiper J3C-65 · Hartford, WI, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | After about ten practice landings at Hartford, Wisconsin, the instructor called an engine failure 400 to 500 ft up and said turn back; with both on the controls, the J3 Cub stalled and spun in. The instructor died and the trainee was badly hurt. It had no shoulder harnesses.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C-65 · Slaughter, LA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Climbing out of Magnolia Airpark, Louisiana, after mud dauber nests were cleared from the engine, the J3 Cub's engine surged and lost power, and it went into trees. The front-seat pilot died and the rear-seat pilot was badly hurt. The NTSB could not find why.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA12 · Soldotna, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Soon after takeoff from Soldotna, Alaska, the PA-12 collided at about 1,175 ft with a Part 135 charter Beaver; the PA-12 pilot and all six on the Beaver died. The NTSB found both pilots failed to see and avoid; the PA-12 pilot had a severe vision defect.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| PA-18 LLCPiper PA18 · Hood River, OR, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Hood River, Oregon, nose high, the Super Cub's engine quit because the fuel selector was not set right; it pitched down, rotated right and hit the ground. The instructor and the private pilot died. The NTSB also cited the instructor's stall.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C · Elyria, OH, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Climbing out after a touch-and-go at Elyria, Ohio, the J3 Cub lost power at 75 to 100 ft in weather prone to carburetor ice, turned left, then right, and dived into a field. The sport pilot died. The NTSB cited carburetor icing and a stall.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C · Fancy Gap, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying VFR from Fayetteville, West Virginia, toward Mocksville, North Carolina, into forecast cloud, at a planned height below terrain on the route, the J3 Cub hit a mountain near Fancy Gap, Virginia; the pilot died. The NTSB also cited his depression and sedating drugs.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-12-150 · Healy, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a sheep hunting flight from Fairbanks, the PA-12 crashed in a remote snowy mountain valley near Healy, Alaska, and burned; both on board died. The search began days later and no flight plan was filed. The NTSB could not determine why it hit the ground.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA18-150 · Delta Junction, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a cross-country flight from a strip at Salcha toward McCarthy, Alaska, the Super Cub hit a wooded knoll 26 miles southwest of Delta Junction and was found three days later; both died. Its beacon was switched off. The NTSB cause is undetermined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA18 · Sitka, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying a lodge guest on a wildlife viewing flight near Sitka, Alaska, the float-equipped PA-18 went overdue and was found next day nose down in a shallow river; both died. It had stalled and spun. The NTSB could not say why the stall happened.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA18-150 · LA Center, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Doing touch-and-goes near La Center, Washington, the Super Cub turned left at very low speed and height, banked 105 degrees and hit a 140 ft tree; the pilot died. No fault or impairment was found. The NTSB cited his failure to keep clear of the trees.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA18-150 · Murphy, ID, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from a dirt strip near Murphy, Idaho, after elk spotting, the Super Cub's right wing dropped at 150 ft and it dived into the ground. The pilot died and the passenger survived. A badly crimped left aileron cable had pulled apart, leaving no roll control.Type: System failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18AS · Tyonek, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Ending a solo sheep hunt, the pilot without an instrument rating left a remote Alaska strip at night after being told VFR was not advised for the pass; the Super Cub crashed near Chakachamna Lake and he died. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C · Chetek, WI, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Flying low over the Red Cedar River south of Chetek, Wisconsin, the J3 Cub turned right, the nose dropped and it dived into the river. The front-seat passenger swam to the bank; the pilot in the back seat was thrown out and died. The NTSB cited a stall.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Renfro's Alaskan Adventures, Inc.Piper PA18 · Russian Mission, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying from Bethel to a hunting camp, the Renfro's Alaskan Adventures Super Cub collided in level cruise near Russian Mission, Alaska, with a Hageland Cessna Caravan; the Caravan's left wing cut the Cub's right wing. Both on the Cub and all three on the Caravan died.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA18-150 · Chugiak, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Near the end of a three-hour flight from McGrath, the pilot radioed that the Super Cub had crashed in Cook Inlet 1.8 miles from Birchwood, Alaska, too far out to swim. Both occupants died. The NTSB could not find why the engine lost power.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA18-150 · Ronan, MT, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | After low maneuvers near Ronan, Montana, the pilot spotted a coyote and flew a wingover; pulling up, the Super Cub could not clear a hillside and hit it. The pilot died and the passenger, the new owner, survived. The NTSB cited an abrupt low maneuver flown on purpose.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C-65 · Fort Gaines, GA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The J3 Cub, flying from Headland toward Eufaula, Alabama, did not arrive; a week later it was found in 10 to 15 ft of water in the Chattahoochee River, and both pilots on board had died. Pump records showed only 0.17 gal of fuel bought. The NTSB cited a loss of control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C · Paso Robles, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Just after liftoff from his ranch strip near Paso Robles, California, the pilot began a right turn at midfield, unlike his usual habit; the bank steepened to vertical, the slow J3 Cub stalled and dived into the ground, and both on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18A · Nikolai, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | With caribou antlers tied to a strut, two carcasses aboard and a rifle on a wing, the Super Cub took off downwind from Tatitna, Alaska, 642 lb over its maximum weight; it stalled into trees just past the runway. The pilot died and the passenger survived.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18-150 · Kenai, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Thrown out of a bar while very drunk, a student pilot took a taxi to Soldotna airport, Alaska, about midnight; radar showed an aircraft believed to be his Super Cub leave at 1:37 am. Neither he nor the aircraft was found. The NTSB cause is undetermined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3C-65 · Kingsland, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The J3 Cub, overdue for its annual inspection, climbed slowly at Kingsland, Texas, with the engine down on power, then rolled left at about 125 ft and dived in. The pilot died. An intake valve had stuck open; the NTSB cited a loss of airspeed after the power loss.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Three Bushwhackers IncPiper PA-12 · Rye, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Maneuvering in mountains near St Charles Peak, Colorado, at high density altitude, the pilot of the PA-12 flew toward rising terrain faster than it could climb and hit a ridge. Both on board died. The NTSB cited the route he chose.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Ocean Aerial Ads IncPiper PA-18-150 · Berlin, MD, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After a normal banner drop at Berlin, Maryland, on a hot day, the Super Cub flew straight on with no power added instead of turning; half a mile later it stalled, spun into an oak tree and burned. The pilot died. The NTSB found he was incapacitated for an unknown reason.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18 · Sleetmute, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a scouting flight south of Sleetmute, Alaska, a pilot with no pilot certificate flew low and slow toward a landing site; the Super Cub nosed down, spiralled and fell into trees. Both died. The NTSB cited his lack of a certificate and a stall.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Cyrus Chad H DBAPiper PA-18-150 · Forsyth, MT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Surveying and photographing a prairie dog town near Forsyth, Montana, the pilot banked ever more steeply to keep sight of the ground; the Super Cub stalled, mushed and hit an open field, and both died. The NTSB cited a loss of airspeed while maneuvering.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18-150 · Cape Yakataga, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from a beach east of Cordova, Alaska, to collect glacier ice, the Super Cub crashed into the sea; waves and ice destroyed the wreck. The passenger's body was found four days later and the pilot is missing. The NTSB cause is undetermined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper J3L-65 · Van Dyne, WI, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a sightseeing flight with another aircraft over Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, the J3 Cub pitched up, dropped its left wing, rolled inverted and hit the water; both died. The rear passenger was unbelted. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-12 · Delta, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | About 200 to 300 ft after takeoff from a private strip near Delta Junction, Alaska, the PA-12's engine popped and quit; the pilot turned back, it stalled and dived into the ground, and he died. The NTSB could not find why the engine lost power.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18-150 · Mcgrath, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying under visual rules from Tanana to McGrath, Alaska, the pilot took the PA-18-150 Super Cub on into cloud; it stalled and hit mountainous terrain near McGrath, and the pilot and passenger died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18-135 · Willow, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying low on a local flight north of Willow, Alaska, the Super Cub's left wing hit a tree and it crashed in woods; the commercial pilot, alone, died. The NTSB found alcohol impairment kept him from keeping clear of the tree.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18-135 · Sikeston, MO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a takeoff from a private grass strip near Sikeston, Missouri, in a crosswind, the Super Cub ran off to the side, hit a metal carport and burned. The owner in the back seat and the pilot-rated passenger without a tailwheel endorsement in front both died.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-12 · Columbia, MO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After a night of rain at a grass strip, the pilot drained water from the PA-12's capless tank and left; near Columbia, Missouri, in fog and low cloud, the engine sputtered and it hit the ground steeply. He died. The NTSB cited VFR into cloud and water in the fuel.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorPiper PA-18 · Talkeetna, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On a hunting-guide flight looking for caribou 40 miles from Talkeetna, Alaska, the pilot circled in a tightening, steepening left turn; the Super Cub stalled, hit the ground and caught fire. The pilot died and the passenger survived. The NTSB cited a stall at low height.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Van Wagner Aerial Media, LLCPiper PA-18-150 · Camarillo, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a banner pickup at Camarillo, California, the PA-18 flew a flat approach and snagged the tow line with its main gear instead of the hook; it climbed to about 150 ft, then the nose dropped and it hit the ground. The pilot died. The NTSB cited the wrong approach profile.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-12 · Brownsboro, AL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The engine of the PA-12 faltered about 50 ft after takeoff from Brownsboro, Alabama, and it came down behind trees; both on board died. The owner habitually shut the fuel valve after flights, and it was found off. The NTSB cited fuel starvation and a loss of airspeed.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18 · Wasilla, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Landing at his private strip near Wasilla, Alaska, in gusts of 25 to 30 kt, the pilot drifted toward trees, added power and climbed steeply; the Super Cub's right wing hit a 75 ft tree and it fell into woods. The passenger died. The NTSB cited a loss of directional control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorPiper PA-18-150 · Lake Placid, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a low aerial search for a bear tracking collar with a wildlife researcher near Lake Placid, Florida, the PA-18 returned to Placid Lakes Airport and lost control in an abrupt low maneuver. Both died. The NTSB cited the nonstandard abrupt maneuver.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-18 · Quinhagak, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying about 100 ft over a beach near Jacksmith Bay, Alaska, with another aircraft, the pilot circled to look at what he took for a whale bone; in 25 to 30 kt wind the Super Cub's right wing stalled and it dived onto the beach and burned. He died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket |
Listed but not counted
These events happened on military, test or illegal flights, or were caused by a crime or a deliberate act, which says little about the aircraft design.
| Date | Flight | Killed | Why not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrivatePiper J3 · Mooresburg, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Deliberate act by a crew member. The pilot took off from his private strip near Mooresburg, Tennessee, flew over his property and flew the J3 Cub into a barn, which burned; he died. The NTSB found he flew into the building on purpose as an act of suicide.Type: SecurityNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA12 · Sanford, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Test flight. On the first flight after a two-year restoration, skipping the taxi test the mechanic wanted, the PA-12 pitched nose high after liftoff at Sanford, Florida, stalled and dived in. The pilot died. The elevator cables were reversed, and inspections had missed it.Type: System failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA12 · Anchorage, AK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Test flight. On its first flight after years of maintenance and modification, the PA-12 climbed extremely nose high from Merrill Field, Anchorage, pivoted and fell straight down; the pilot died. The elevator cables had been fitted reversed, and his preflight check missed it.Type: System failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivatePiper PA-12 · Burlington, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Test flight. The owner was nearly done rebuilding his PA-12 at Burlington, Washington, but it had not been inspected; on a fast taxi test it lifted off, pitched up near vertical and crashed, killing him. The NTSB found he had connected the elevator cables wrongly.Type: System failureNTSB docket |
The Cub family sits in the upper half of the small planes we rate, level with the Cirrus SR20 and the Cessna 182 and a little behind the Cessna 180 and 185, though the gaps are small and the likely ranges overlap. It has 55 counted fatal events in the United States up to 28 October 2026. The Cub is a light, slow, low-powered design. Its typical fatal accident is a stall or loss of control close to the ground, not the cloud or night flying that weighs on faster planes.
What counts as a Cub?
Our family covers the J-3 Cub (1938), the PA-12 Super Cruiser and the PA-18 Super Cub. All are fabric-covered tailwheel planes with two seats, three in the PA-12. About 32,000 were built. The FAA register shows about 8,400 today, down from about 9,560 in 2014. Of the counted events, 30 involved a PA-18, 15 a J-3 and 10 a PA-12.
How do Cubs crash?
The 55 counted events killed 77 people, about 1.4 per event, because most Cubs carry one or two. By purpose, 48 were private or other flights, three passenger flights (all in Alaska) and four training flights. Four more US events are excluded: three test flights and one deliberate act. Three Super Cub crashes are not counted at all, because their aircraft fall outside the FAA register records we count flights for (one experimental, one unregistered, one held by a trustee); one of them is the crash near Aeneas, Washington, on 10 October 2026.
Loss of control, mostly stalls at low height, leads with 25 events. Another 10 have no cause in the record. Flight into terrain or obstacles follows with six, engine failure five and mid-air collisions three.
Why Alaska?
Twenty-six counted events happened in Alaska. A Super Cub is the working plane of the bush: short strips, gravel bars, floats and a hunting season. Overloading appears in the record. On 30 August 2013, a Super Cub took off downwind at Tatitna, Alaska, 642 lb over its limit with antlers on a strut, and stalled into trees. All three counted passenger events were Part 135 flights for hire to or from hunting camps.
What about mid-air collisions?
The three collisions each involved a bigger plane or a plane in a busy area. On 31 July 2020, a PA-12 and a Part 135 Beaver collided over Soldotna, Alaska; the NTSB found that both pilots failed to see and avoid, and seven died. On 31 August 2016, a Super Cub and a Cessna Caravan collided in cruise near Russian Mission. Five died. At Winter Haven, Florida, on 7 March 2023, a float-equipped J-3 and a PA-28 collided on a lesson; four died.
What about banner towing?
Four counted events came on banner flights. At Myrtle Beach on 28 May 2022, a PA-12 pitched up after a banner pickup, stalled and dived into the ground. The pilot died.
What should you check?
- Tailwheel Cubs need an instructor's endorsement. Ask your pilot if they have it and how recently they flew the type.
- Check the weight. A Cub carries very little, and the hunter, gear and fuel add up fast.
- On a Part 135 air taxi, look up the operator's FAA certificate. Ask if the plane carries a beacon.
- Vintage Cubs need good records. Three test flights after rebuilds, excluded from the count, ended in crashes because the elevator cables had been fitted reversed.
Why our score may flatter the Cub
Like every small plane, the Cub is scored only on US data since 2008: fatal accidents from the NTSB database, and about 8.4 million flights estimated from the FAA aircraft register and the FAA General Aviation survey. That survey gives flying hours for all single-engine pistons together. Airframe hours in NTSB accident records and, to a lesser degree, ADS-B tracks from 2019 to 2022 show that a Cub flies about 60% as often as the average single, and our count takes that into account. But many Cubs have no ADS-B transponder and are never seen, and the NTSB hours come only from aircraft that crashed; if the rest fly even less, the Cub still looks somewhat safer than it is. A flight in any small plane, the Cub included, carries far more risk than an airline flight. See the method.
How to tell if you are on one
Flight trackers show J3, PA12 or PA18. Compare the Cessna 180 and 185, and see the small planes ranking.
Questions people ask
Is a Piper Cub a safe airplane?
In our data it sits in the upper half of the small planes we rate: 55 counted fatal events in the United States since 2008, with 77 deaths. The estimate is uncertain, because many Cubs fly little and many carry no ADS-B transponder, so their flights are hard to count.
Why do Super Cubs crash so often in Alaska?
Alaska accounts for 26 of the 55 counted events. Super Cubs work there from short strips, ridges, beaches and floats, close to terrain, often carrying hunters and loads. Three counted events were passenger flights for hire.
Do I need a special licence to fly a Cub?
A Cub has a tailwheel, so a US pilot needs a one-time logbook endorsement from an instructor before flying one as pilot in command. Many Cubs are decades old, so ask about the condition and records of the one you fly.
What does PA18 mean on a flight tracker?
PA18 is the Super Cub. J3 is the J-3 Cub and PA12 is the PA-12 Super Cruiser.
Are banner-towing planes dangerous?
The pickup, where the plane snags a banner from the ground at low speed, is the risky part. Four counted events since 2008 happened on a banner flight, in Maryland, California, South Carolina and New Jersey. Passengers do not fly on these flights.
Sources
- 1.NTSB docket: Piper PA12, Soldotna, Alaska, 31 July 2020 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 2.NTSB docket: Piper PA-12, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 28 May 2022 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 3.NTSB docket: Piper PA-18A, Nikolai, Alaska, 30 August 2013 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 4.NTSB docket: Piper PA18, Russian Mission, Alaska, 31 August 2016 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 5.NTSB docket: Piper J3C, Winter Haven, Florida, 7 March 2023 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 6.NTSB docket: Piper PA-18-150, Northway, Alaska, 17 September 2026 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 7.SafetyScorer exposure model: FAA aircraft register, FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, OpenSky ADS-B, NTSB airframe hours (opens in a new tab)Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 8,388 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.67, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 0.94 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 60 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.