Piper J3L-65 accident near Van Dyne, WI
On July 25, 2011, a Piper J3L-65 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Van Dyne, WI. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 25, 2011
- Place
- Van Dyne, WI
- Aircraft
- Piper J3L-65 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 43.888°N, 88.454°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110725X94139
Official records · CEN11FA505
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On July 25, 2011, at 1145 central daylight time, a Piper J3L-65, N81BF, collided with the waters of Lake Winnebago, near Van Dyne, Wisconsin, following a loss of control while performing an aerobatic maneuver. The airline transport certificated pilot and the passenger onboard were both fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The local personal flight was being operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at 1127. The pilot flew to OSH on the day prior to the accident to attend the EAA AirVenture fly-in. The accident airplane departed OSH along with another Piper Cub for a local sightseeing flight over Lake Winnebago. The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger in the other airplane stated both airplanes flew down the coastline at altitudes varying between 1,000 feet and 1,400 feet. They stated the accident pilot was performing a maneuver when the accident occurred. The airplane pitched up, climbed, and yawed to the left, entering a descent. During the course of the maneuver, the airplane became inverted and impacted the lake. They contacted air traffic control at OSH and circled the area until they saw a boat approach the accident site at which time they returned to OSH. A witness reported seeing two airplanes flying at an altitude estimated to be about 300 feet above the water. The airplanes were traveling from the north to south. The witness stated that both airplanes were flying slow and m
Probable cause
The pilot’s inability to maintain airplane control while maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined from the available evidence.
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Browse: Wisconsin · 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.
