Piper J3C-65 accident near Cloudy Lake, Alaska, July 28, 1992
On July 28, 1992, a Piper J3C-65, registered N21375, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cloudy Lake, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO ENTER AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER WITH SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO EFFECT A RECOVERY PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1992
- Place
- Cloudy Lake, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N21375 · no longer on the register · serial 14609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE HAD JUST PERFORMED A HAMMERHEAD STALL, PUT THE AIRPLANE INTO A DIVE, AND COULD NOT RECOVER BEFORE THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED AND MUSHED TO THE GROUND'. SEVERAL WITNESSES/NEIGHBORS STATED THAT THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THE MANY AND FREQUENT 'MINI AIRSHOWS' PERFORMED BY THIS PILOT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,123 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 984 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,983 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1991; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.