- Date
- August 1, 1983, 20:10 local (Aug 2, 1983, 01:10 UTC)
- Place
- Lily Lake, IL
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N27020Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830801039599A
- Case key
- 12006
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
The plt reported that a neighbor had flown the acft earlier in the day & had problems adjusting the elevator trim when airborne. The plt stated that before takeoff, he checked the trim, but it worked normally, so he set it for cruise & made a normal takeoff. While turning to a x-wind leg, he tried to adjust the elevator trim, but it would not operate. The plt then tried to relieve the airload on the stabilizor by pulling back on the stick to go into a climb, then releasing the back pressure to put the acft in a near zero 'g' condition. He was still unable to move the trim. The plt pulled up again, but a little harder. However, this time the acft stalled & went into a spin. The plt was unable to recover before the acft hit the ground. An investigation revealed that the elevator trim was in a slight nose down position, but no preimpact/mechanical malfunction was detected.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27020
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4305
- Airframe hours
- 2,000
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Newhouse Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1983
- Departed
- Maple Park, IL
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
- 39
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 525 in this make and model · 1,305 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DPA, 11 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.
Other investigations on N27020 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.