Piper J3C-65 accident near Palmer, Alaska, June 3, 1995
On June 3, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N32708, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, 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'S INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S EMOTIONAL REACTION TO THE VEHICLE TRAVELLING THROUGH HIS YARD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N32708 · registry record · serial 5541
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LIVES ADJACENT TO AN AIRSTRIP AND A VEHICLE DROVE ACROSS THE AIRSTRIP AND HIS YARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. HE WAS VERY AGITATED AND ELECTED TO FLY HIS AIRPLANE IN SEARCH OF THE VEHICLE. DURING HIS FLIGHT HE MADE AN ABRUPT PULL UP AND STEEP BANK AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,795 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,604 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 14, 1994; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Butte Airstrip AK at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.