# Accident 20230307001342A: Piper J3C-65, Winter Haven, FL, March 7, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 7, 2023, 14:02 local time
- Place: Winter Haven, FL
- Airport: Winter Haven Regional
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0555° N, 81.7408° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0555&lon=-81.7408&mi=10
- Aircraft: N10510, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N10510) (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 J3C-65
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23FA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA142) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230307001342A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 7, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 PM, A PIPER J-3C, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND A PIPER PA-28-161, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, COLLIDED MID-AIR OVER LAKE HARTRIDGE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FLYING NORTH TO SOUTH, 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), 1/2 MILE AWAY TRANSITIONING PASS THE END RUNWAY 29, WHILE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS IN A LEFT-HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN DESCENDING TURNING BASE FOR RUNWAY 29. AS THE AIRCRAFTS PASSED EACH OTHER, THE MID-AIR COLLISION OCCURRED AND BOTH AIRCRAFTS FELL INTO THE LAKE, RESULTING IN FATAL INJURIES TO BOTH PILOTS.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N9221D, Piper PA-28-161: [Accident 20230307001732A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230307001732A)

## 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 ERA23FA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA142), Mar 7, 2023: Piper J3C (N10510), Winter Haven, FL, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of both flight crews to see and avoid each other while operating in the airport environment.

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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