# NTSB IAD99LA007: Piper J3C-65, N70968, Waynesville, OH, October 10, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 10, 1998, 17:11 local (21:11 UTC) - Place: Waynesville, OH - Coordinates: 39.530876, -84.080131 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5309&lon=-84.0801&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report June 23, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 44164 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD99LA007 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/44164/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD99LA007 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - airspeed(vs) - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The private pilot and passenger departed the airport on a local pleasure flight toward an area where a gathering of 70 people were at a picnic outing. The airplane was observed flying low and slow approximately 100 yards in front of the picnic attendees. The airplane was then observed to pitch up, sharply roll to the right, enter a descending right hand turn, and collided with terrain in a nose down attitude. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and that he inadvertently stalled the airplane in a climb. He reported a total of 166 flight hours with 6 total hours in make and model. ## Factual narrative On October 10, 1998, about 1711 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N70968, was destroyed after impacting terrain while maneuvering near Waynesville, Ohio. The certificated private pilot and passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Waynesville Airport (401), about 1650. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector's written report, the airplane was observed flying low and slow over a lake and 100 yards in front of an outing where 70 people had gathered. Eye witnesses observed the airplane pitch up, sharply roll to the right and enter a descending right hand turn. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose down attitude 100 yards to the northeast of the gathering. No ground injuries or property damage was reported. According to witnesses, the engine sounded as if it was operating normally prior to impact. In a written statement the pilot reported the following: "[This was a] recreational flight to take pictures of [a] friend's farm and picnic outing - though I do not recall [the] last part of flight prior to [the] accident, I apparently stalled in [the] climb and collided with [the] ground. I consider this a pilot error for which I am profoundly sorry." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He reported a total of 166 flight hours with 6 in make and model. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N70968](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N70968), registered now, S/N 17993, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper J3C-65 - Registry model: [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (registry code 7100510) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17993 - Engines: Continental A&C 65 SERIES 75 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stewart Air Service - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 401, OH ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, invalid medical for flight; seat: rear; flight hours: 166 total, 6 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ILN, 21 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19981010028889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981010028889A), Oct 10, 1998: Piper J3C65, Waynesville, OH, Destroyed. Acft was flying low over a large gathering when it made a turn and seemed to stall. (-23) at 16:50 hrs. On oct. 10, 1998, private pilot jim zappe (cert.… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.