Piper J3C-65 accident near Sterling, Alaska, June 28, 2021
On June 28, 2021 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1946 Piper J3C-65, registered N98109, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2021 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65, built 1946 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N98109 · registry record · serial 18268
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while en route, the engine lost partial power, and he was unable to restore full power. During the subsequent off-airport landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and right wing. A postaccident examination revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. According to the carburetor icing-probability chart located in the Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, the accident flight would likely have been operating in conditions conducive to “serious icing in cruise power”; however, the pilot reported that he applied carburetor heat following the loss of power. The reason for the loss of power could not be determined based on the available information.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,990 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 11,100 as pilot in command; 880 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 21, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 5,746 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOM Homer AK at 10:30 pm
- Destination: LHD Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from PASX, 25 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PASX 282356Z AUTO 27008KT 10SM SCT065 15/08 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP197 T01500083 10161 20117 56004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N98109 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC21LA047.