- Date
- September 11, 1988, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Orange, VA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N98121Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 1, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880911037969A
- Case key
- 11374
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
Pilot initiated lift off before flying speed was gained and as a result the aircraft had a loss of aerodynamic lift and stalled on the initial takeoff climb. The pilot's inadequate inflight decision and failure to abort the takeoff are contributing 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
Witnesses said they saw the acft on takeoff roll near the departure end of rwy 25. According to the witnesses the acft lifted off but settled back down on the rwy before it lifted off again. Witnesses said the acft immediately turned left and began to reverse course. Witnesses said the acft was flying slowly with the wings rocking as it began to turn. The acft climbed to about 50 ft AGL and was about 300 ft south of the departure end of the runway when it abruptly pitched down and descended to the ground. Examination of the acft disclosed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. The pilot postmortem examination revealed no evidence of physical impairment or incapacitation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98121
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18276
- Airframe hours
- 1,326
- Engine
- Continental C-90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David Marshall
- Registered owner
- David Marshall
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 28, 1987 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- W93
- Destination
- VA19 · Snow Hill, VA
- Airport
- W93 · Orange Co., runway 25, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 402 total · 15 in this make and model · 185 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHO, 20 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.