- Date
- June 20, 1998, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Skull Valley, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N45053Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980620014419A
- Case key
- 30128
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's failure to maintain control of the aircraft while maneuvering at a low altitude.
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 aircraft had recently been returned to service after a complete restoration. According to the owner/pilot the airplane had accumulated 19 flight hours since the restoration. He stated that the aircraft and the engine were operating normally and were not the cause of the accident.
Factual narrative
On June 20, 1998, about 1015 hours mountain standard time, a vintage Naval Aircraft Factory, N3N-3, N45053, was destroyed while maneuvering near Skull Valley, Arizona. Both pilots received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Prescott, Arizona, at 0930.
The aircraft had recently returned to service after a complete restoration. During a telephone interview of the owner/pilot on July 6, 1998, he stated that the aircraft had accumulated 19 flight hours since the restoration. He further stated that the aircraft and engine were operating normally and were not the cause of the accident.
The pilot did not return the Safety Board's Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, form 6120.1/2. He did provide copies of restoration and modification, FAA Form 337, and other approvals, which are attached to this report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45053
- Reported as
- Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1983
- Engine
- P&W R-985-A1, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Paul H. Dehaan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
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
- 76
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 65 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PRC, 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.