- Date
- September 21, 1987, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Greenwood, LA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3685KPiper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870921054239A
- Case key
- 22280
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 pilot touched down briefly in a small clearing which he had prevously driven to by automobile. He then lifted off and started a climbout. Two separate electrical power lines were located just inside a tree line which was very close to the previously mentioned touchdown point. The lower and much larger wires of the two power lines were obscured by trees from the touchdown point. The small upper (ground) wire was visible against a clear sky background from the touchdown point during the wreckage examination but its visibility would have quickly diminished into a tree covered background as the aircraft climbed. The larger wires which were mounted lower on the poles would have been more visible near the accident site, however, they too would have been somewhat obscured by the tree covered background. The acft flew into the small upper wire and came to rest between the two power lines.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3685K
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22376
- Airframe hours
- 1,729
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8F, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William A.Hundley
- Registered owner
- S.O.P. Partners
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 1987 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- Shreveport, LA
- Airport
- SHV · Shreveport Regional
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
- 27
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,473 total · 160 in this make and model · 1,415 as pilot in command · 173 in the last 90 days · 44 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SHV, 12 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.