Single-engine piston

N3985M

Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser / Super Cub

Registered 1 NTSB/FAA record
Built
—
Serial
12-2865
Class
Single-engine piston
Engines
Lycoming O-235 series
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registered owner
Individual · sign in to see
Based
San Diego, CA
Registration record

N3985M on the FAA register

Type
Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser / Super Cub
Serial
12-2865
Engines
Lycoming O-235 series
Registered owner
Individual — the name of an individual registrant is shown to signed-in users. Sign in
San Diego, CA
Certificate issued
2022-09-06
Airworthiness date
1956-06-22
Registration expires
2029-09-30
Airworthiness class
Standard
Mode S (hex)
A4A394
Mode S (octal)
51121624
Seats (type)
3
Weight class
up to 12,499 lb
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registry history

Timeline

  • 2029-09-30
    Registration expires (renewal due).
  • 2022-09-06
    Certificate of registration issued as N3985M.
  • 2019-09-27
    Accident at Williams, CA; damage: substantial.
  • 1956-06-22
    Airworthiness date on the current FAA record (standard category).
Overview

About N3985M

N3985M is a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser / Super Cub, serial number 12-2865. It is registered to an individual in San Diego, California. The current certificate of registration was issued on September 6, 2022 and expires on September 30, 2029.

The FAA aircraft reference file describes the type as a single-engine piston, one Lycoming O-235 series engine and 3 seats. Its airworthiness certificate is standard category, dated June 22, 1956.

N3985M has 1 accident/incident record on file (most serious damage: substantial); details are below.

Safety record

Accident & incident history

2019-09-27 Accident · Williams, CA Damage: Substantial NTSB · GAA19CA586
Reported aircraft: Piper PA 12
Probable cause: The pilot's over application of power during recovery from a runway excursion, which resulted in a ground loop and nose over.

Sources: NTSB aviation accident database and CAROL case system, FAA preliminary accident & incident notices. Search accident records

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Data: FAA Aircraft Registry (October 2026), including deregistered aircraft; NTSB and FAA accident data; fyiAero listing history. Individual owners' names are shown to signed-in users and street addresses are never shown. Type figures are published specifications, not this aircraft's.