- Date
- May 25, 1991, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Claremore, OK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3609KPiper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910525017089A
- Case key
- 23263
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 instructor pilot (PIC) did not maintain clearance from obstacles during the maneuver.
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 instructor pilot and dual student were practicing touch and go landings for the spanish foreign national's tail-dragger transition prior to starting agricultural spray school. They departed the airport and were observed to be maneuvering at low level approximately three statute miles to the southeast. The aircraft's right wing leading edge struck the upper branches of a 35 foot high pecan tree. Portions of the right wing and tree branches were located below the tree and along the flight path. The fuel tank ruptured upon ground impact and a post-impact fire consumed the aircraft. No pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airframe or the powerplant were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3609K
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22299
- Airframe hours
- 3,446
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sam Riggs, doing business as Sam Riggs Flying Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Sam Riggs
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 23, 1991 · 5 hours before
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
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,750 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N3609K · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.