# Accident 19970720019079A: Piper J3C65, Eustis, FL, July 20, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 20, 1997, 12:00 local time
- Place: Eustis, FL
- Airport: Mid Florida Air Service Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.7993° N, 81.8805° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7993&lon=-81.8805&mi=10
- Aircraft: N98879, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N98879) (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 C8512
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,900 total, 220 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970720019079A

## Narrative

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

ENGINE FAILED RESPOND LOW ALTITUDE RECOVERY FROM A SPIN. WING HIT WATER. CUB CARTWHEELED. (.19) ON JULY 20, 1997, ABOUT 1200 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J3C-65, N98879, COLLIDED WITH WATER WHILE PRACTICING STALLS OVER LAKE HARRIS IN LEESBURG, FLORIDA.  THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL, PERSONAL FLIGHT.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED EUSTIS, FLORIDA ABOUT 1140 ON THE SAME DAY. THE PILOT STATED TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES THAT HE WAS DEMONSTRATING STALLS TO HIS SON.  HE SAID THAT HE HAD RECOVERED FROM THE FIRST STALL WITHOUT INCIDENT, CLIMBED TO 2000 FEET AND INITIATED A SECOND STALL. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER, THE ENGINE FAILED TO RETURN TO FULL POWER WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN, AND WHILE RECOVERING THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE WATER AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED AND SANK.  THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SWAM OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AND WERE HELPED TO SHORE BY A NEARBY BOATER.                            (-23) PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE OVER LAKE HARRIS WHEN THE WINGTIP CAUGHT THE WATER, CARTWHEELED AND CRASHED INTO LAKE.

## 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 ATL97LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA107), Jul 20, 1997: Piper J3C-65 (N98879), Leesburg, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadvertent entry into a secondary stall and spin, as engine power faltered during application of power, while recovering from an intentional stall. The hesitation (faltering) of power…

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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