- Date
- February 16, 1986, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sevierville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N30233Piper J3L-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860216002759A
- Case key
- 7067
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During takeoff initial climb the engine lost power and a forced landing was initiated. During the descent the aircraft contacted treetops prior to ground impact. Post-crash examination of the engine disclosed that one of the cylinders had broken away from the crankcase. The engine was placed into service in the year 1940 and the total time on the engine could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30233
- Reported as
- Piper J3L-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4713
- Airframe hours
- 4,112
- Engine
- Lycoming O-145B SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth Zillmer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 9, 1985
- Departed
- 3A9 · Sevierville, TN
- Airport
- 3A9 · Pigion Forge
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,690 total · 15 in this make and model · 1,565 as pilot in command · 175 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.