- Date
- June 12, 1991, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Shasta Lake, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N23195Piper J3L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910612021349A
- Case key
- 27246
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 failure to maintain airspeed on initial takeoff climb resulting in an in flight loss of control, stall, and inflight collision with terrain/water.
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
After refueling his float equipped aircraft on Shasta Lake the pilot and his passenger enplaned to continue their flight to their hometown. As the aircraft began its water takeoff taxi run it neared a shoreline that extended across its path. The pilot turned left, placing the wind on the right side of the aircraft and the aircraft downwind to a tree lined shoreline. The aircraft took off while on this heading and stalled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23195
- Reported as
- Piper J3L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2971
- Engine
- Continental A75-8, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Balmer, David M.
- Registered owner
- Balmer, David M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 2, 1991 · 5 hours before
- Destination
- Portland, OR
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 217 total · 55 in this make and model · 143 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.