- Date
- July 20, 1997, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Leesburg, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N98879Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970720019079A
- Case key
- 3878
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's inadvertent entry into a secondary stall and spin, as engine power faltered during application of power, while recovering from an intentional stall. The hesitation (faltering) of power and the pilot's diverted attention were related factors.
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
The pilot stated that he was demonstrating stalls to his son. He said that he had recovered from the first stall without incident and climbed to 2000 feet. He said he initiated a second stall (over the area of a lake). Also, he said that while attempting to recover, the engine failed to return to full power as the throttle was advanced, and the airplane entered a spin; then while recovering, the right wing tip struck the water, and the airplane cartwheeled and sank.
Factual narrative
On July 20, 1997, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N98879, collided with water while practicing stalls over Lake Harris in Leesburg, Florida. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injures and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight departed Eustis, Florida about 1140 on the same day.
The pilot stated to the local authorities that he was demonstrating stalls to his son. He said that he had recovered from the first stall without incident, climbed to 2000 feet and initiated a second stall. While attempting to recover, the engine failed to return to full power when the throttle was advanced. The airplane entered a spin, and while recovering the right wing tip struck the water and the airplane cartwheeled and sank. The pilot and passenger swam out of the airplane and were helped to shore by a nearby boater.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98879
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19660
- Airframe hours
- 2,729
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jett Riley
- Registered owner
- Seneca Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 1997 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- X55 · Eustis, FL
- Airport
- X55 · Eustis
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,900 total · 220 in this make and model · 1,750 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LEE, 2 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.