- Date
- October 13, 1984, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Miles City, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N35965Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841013055599A
- Case key
- 31303
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.
Vortex turbulence encountered
Clearance - not maintained
Loss of control - in flight
Descent - uncontrolledCause
In flight collision with object
Object - tree(s)
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - ground
Fire
Analysis
According to the plt the acft became uncontrollable shortly after takeoff when it encountered rotor downwash generated by a departing helicopter. Initial impact occurred with a tree 200 ft left of the rwy. Post crash fire destroyed the wreckage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35965
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6734
- Airframe hours
- 6,200
- Engine
- Continental C-90-14F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Wayne H. Drake
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 26, 1983 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- 08X · Miles City, FL
- Destination
- X51 · Homestead, FL
- Airport
- 08X · Calusa Ranch, runway 14, 1,800 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,216 total · 102 in this make and model · 1,118 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TMB, 48 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.