Piper J-3 accident near Carrollton, Georgia, April 14, 2002
On April 14, 2002 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Piper J-3, registered N31118, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrollton, Georgia (Falcons Aerie airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain flying speed that resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2002 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carrollton, Georgia · Falcons Aerie · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3 · all J-3s on the register
- Registration
- N31118 · registry record · serial 5336
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during his take off he noticed the smell of oil, and saw smoke coming down the right side of the fuselage. The pilot returned to the airport for a precautionary landing to runway 36. When the pilot reduced power for landing the airplane stalled and collided with the ground.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 702 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 517 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 702 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 4AC1767B SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CTJ Carrollton GA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 360, 2,400 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; scat at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from ATL, 10 miles away
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.