# Accident 20041212033209A: Piper J3C65, Monte Vista, CO, December 12, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 12, 2004, 13:00 local time
- Place: Monte Vista, CO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.5283° N, 106.0467° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5283&lon=-106.0467&mi=10
- Aircraft: N23375, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N23375-2020-05-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J3C65
- Reported engine: CONT O200*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,500 total, 60 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN05LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA035) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041212033209A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING BETWEEN 500 TO 1000 FEET AGL OVER AN OPEN FARM FIELD WHEN THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO ENTER A STALL/SPIN CONDITION AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN APPROXIMATELY A 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN PITCH. WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT PERFORMING UNUSUAL OR ABRUPT MANEUVERS WHEN IT BEGAN TO ROLL LEFT AND ENTER A SPIN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND CLAIMS TO HAVE NO MEMORY OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. GROUND LEVEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE IS APPROXIMATELY 7,500 FEET AND THE OAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 55 DEGREES F. THE J3 CUB WAS MODIFIED WITH A VG KIT BY MICROAERODYNAMICS TO REDUCE STALL SPEED AND HAD A 90 HP ENGINE.

## 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 DEN05LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA035), Dec 12, 2004: Piper J3C-65 (N23375), Monte Vista, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall during low level flight.

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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