- Date
- October 11, 1998, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- New Holstein, WI
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N70880Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981011028879A
- Case key
- 44121
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-in-command's intentional low altitude maneuver and his ostentatious display. A factor was his allowing the airplane to enter an inadvertent stall.
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 airplane was observed by witnesses to initiate a steep turn immediately after liftoff. The turn was seen to continue while the airplane climbed to about 50 feet above ground level. Witnesses said that the airplane then departed controlled flight and impacted the terrain. A post accident examination of the airplane revealed no pre-accident anomalies.
Factual narrative
On October 11, 1998, at 1130 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N70880, owned and operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a low level maneuver following takeoff from runway 14 (3,600' X 75' dry asphalt), at New Holstein Municipal Airport, near New Holstein, Wisconsin. The pilot and a pilot passenger suffered serious injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
Several witnesses were located on the airport ramp in front of the fixed base operator's office when the accident airplane departed runway 14. Various witnesses stated in verbal and written statements, that the accident airplane lifted off during the departure and they observed it start a left turn at low altitude continuing a steep bank until impact with the terrain in front of the office near where they were standing. One witness said, "Seemed like they were trying to do something special. Unsure if goofing off or was doing a maneuver." Another witness said, "He took off on runway 14, made a slow steep turn to the north and continued to the steep turn to the west. The airplane was 50 feet off the ground when the airplane stalled and the left wing came into contact with the ground." Another said, "I saw him in the air taking off of runway 14 when I saw the right wing come up and the plane banked to the left. I thought he was taking a sharp turn, when all of a sudden the nose pointed down, and the plane crashed into the blacktop."
The pilot said in his written statement, "Upon takeoff, when I rotated the airplane skidded and banked to the left. I tried to react with right aileron, but to no avail. That's all I remember."
An examination of the airplane after the accident confirmed control continuity and revealed no pre-accident anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N70880
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17901
- Airframe hours
- 2,500
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael A. Keltesch
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 28, 1998 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- 8D1
- Airport
- 8D1 · New Holstein Municipal, runway 14, 3,600 × 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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 561 total · 352 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OSH, 19 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.