19990626007599A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Dawson, MD · June 26, 1999

Date: June 26, 1999 · 12:30 local
Place: Dawson, MD
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1548N
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC99FA161
Reported as: Piper J3C65
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N1548NRegistered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 23081 · Built 1947 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 Engine modelContinental A&C65 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Acft was the 2nd of 3 Piper PA-J3 cub acft to take-off and witnessed N29832 (the 3rd of the 3 acft) stall and crash, N1548N circled around to see N29832, and N1548N crashed as well, the pilot of N1548N has serious injuries, the passenger suffered fatal injuries, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) the aircraft departed high rock airfield, on a 020 degree heading. After initial climb the aircraft began a left hand turn towards rising terrain. Sometime during this turn the aircraft crashed. Upon impact the aircraft caught fire and burned.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT WAS THE 2ND OF 3 PIPER PA-J3 CUB ACFT TO TAKE-OFF AND WITNESSED N29832 (THE 3RD OF THE 3 ACFT) STALL AND CRASH, N1548N CIRCLED AROUND TO SEE N29832, AND N1548N CRASHED AS WELL, THE PILOT OF N1548N HAS SERIOUS INJURIES, THE PASSENGER SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HIGH ROCK AIRFIELD, ON A 020 DEGREE HEADING. AFTER INITIAL CLIMB THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A LEFT HAND TURN TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. SOMETIME DURING THIS TURN THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. UPON IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC99FA161Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportDawson, MDThe pilot's improper decision to turn toward rising terrain with inadequate terrain clearance. Factors were the density altitude, downdraft, and the pilot's decision to operate at a weight in excess of the maximum allowable gross weight.Jun 26, 1999 · Destroyed