- Date
- August 2, 1987, 20:57 local (Aug 3, 1987, 01:57 UTC)
- Place
- Vermillion Lake, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6562HPiper J3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 8, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870802040399A
- Case key
- 13806
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
While attempting to return to land after the loss of power, the right wing tip hit the water and the aircraft flipped upside down into the lake. According to a mechanic who inspected the aircraft after the accident, the coils and condensers on both magnetos were very weak and the engine could not produce enough power to sustain flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6562H
- Reported as
- Piper J3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19754
- Airframe hours
- 2,140
- Engine
- Continental A 65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Raymond A. Debevec
- Registered owner
- Raymond A Debevec
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIB, 35 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.