# Accident 19960629015479A: Piper J3C65, Racine, WI, June 29, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 29, 1996, 12:56 local time
- Place: Racine, WI
- Airport: Horlick-Racine Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.7502° N, 87.8107° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7502&lon=-87.8107&mi=10
- Aircraft: N77563, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N77563) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J3C65
- Reported engine: CONT C90*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 2,922 total, 442 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA222) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960629015479A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

EXECUTING AEROBATIC MANEUVER, CAUGHT BY GUST OF WIND, LOST CONTROL, STRUCK GROUND. (.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS PART OF AN AIRSHOW ACT DEPICTING A 'STUDENT PILOT' FLYING THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.  A VIDEO TAPE OF THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT SHOWED IT FLYING LEVEL AT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP ABOUT 5 DEGREES AND THEN PITCHED DOWN AS IT BEGAN A LEFT TURN.  THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED TO ABOUT 90 DEGREES AND THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN TO ABOUT 30 DEGREES BELOW LEVEL FLIGHT AT THE 90 DEGREE POINT IN ITS TURN.  THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO PITCH DOWN UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.  THE VIDEO TAPE SHOWED THE AIRPLANE'S RUDDER MOVING LEFT AND RIGHT DURING ITS DESCENT.  THE AILERON CONTROL POSITION WAS FOR A RIGHT BANK AND THE ELEVATOR WAS IN THE UP POSITION FOR THE LAST HALF OF THE FLIGHT.  THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM OR ENGINE THAT WOULD PREVENT FLIGHT.  SURFACE WINDS WERE REPORTED AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 28 KNOTS.                                        (-23) THE PILOT TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 22 TO BEGIN A "COMEDY CUB ACT." AFTER DO                                                                   ING A SERIES OF PITCHES AND WING WAGGLES SHE MADE A LEFT TURN AND ENTERED A DOWNWIND OVER THE AEROBATIC AREA AND CONTINUED TO DO MORE COMEDY PITCHES, ETC. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND AND SLID ABOUT 50 FEET. THE SURFACE WINDS IN THE AREA WERE REPORTED TO BE VERY GUSTY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI96LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA222), Jun 29, 1996: Piper J3C-90 (N77563), Racine, WI, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: was improper remdial action by the pilot after encountering a stall when the elevator back pressure was not removed and the ailerons were positioned for a right bank by that increasing the airplane's…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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