# Accident 19990730010249A: Piper J3C65, Sanger, TX, July 30, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 30, 1999, 11:30 local time
- Place: Sanger, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.3594° N, 97.1701° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3594&lon=-97.1701&mi=10
- Aircraft: N42378, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N42378-2022-11-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J3C65
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA208) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990730010249A

## Narrative

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

ACFT CLIPPED POWER LINES, CRASHED IN OPEN FIELD. 1 SERIOUS INJURY. (.19) ON JULY 30, 1999, AT 1130 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J3C-65 AIRPLANE, N42378, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED POWER LINES AND THE GROUND NEAR SANGER, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT, OWNER AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE DECATUR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, DECATUR, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST UNDERGONE ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION.  THE PILOT WAS RETURNING THE AIRPLANE FROM THE AIRPORT WHERE THE INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED TO HIS OWN PERSONAL GRASS STRIP.  WHILE FLYING OVER FIELDS APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES WEST OF SANGER, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED POWER LINES.  THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM THE POWER LINES, FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, FUSELAGE, ENGINE FIREWALL, LANDING GEAR, AND PROPELLER.                (-23) ON JULY 30, 1999, AT APPROX. 11:30 A.M. CDT, A PIPER PA-J3-C65, N42378, OWNED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IMPACTED THE GROUND AFTER HITTING POWER LINES DURING CRUISE  FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT HOLDS AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE.

## 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 FTW99LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA208), Jul 30, 1999: Piper J3C-65 (N42378), Sanger, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain clearance with the power line.

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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