Piper J3C-85 accident near Seminole, TX
On July 31, 1998, a Piper J3C-85 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Seminole, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 31, 1998
- Place
- Seminole, TX
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-85 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 32.711°N, 102.651°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X10563
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT: On July 31, 1998, approximately 1515 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-85 airplane, N7018H, impacted the terrain while maneuvering near Seminole, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed the Gaines County Airport, Seminole, Texas, at approximately 1412. The following information was obtained during interviews, conducted by the investigator-in-charge (IIC), witnesses, personal acquaintances, and the airport manager. The pilot/operator had several farms south of the airport and used the airplane for aerial observation of the farms. Fueling records indicated that 9 gallons of fuel was added to the airplane on the morning of July 31, 1998. Fuel endurance time for the airplane was reported as 2 hours. The pilot conducted the preflight of the airplane about 1330 at his hangar. At 1412 the airplane was observed taxiing toward the runway. It was reported that several times per week, the pilot departed the airport and flew a route (flight path) to check his farms and look for deer in a mesquite pasture near the farms and in the rolling hill area (draw area) running through the pasture toward the north. About 2 miles from the airport, the flight path departs the draw and turns toward the airport. Normally 45 minutes to 1 hour would be the flight time for the route. On July 31, 1998, the airplane was observed f
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.
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Browse: Texas · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
