Aeronca C-3 accident near Ocean City, Maryland, June 13, 1982
On June 13, 1982 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Aeronca C-3, registered N16270, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean City, Maryland (Ocean City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 1982 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean City, Maryland · Ocean City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca C-3 · all C-3s on the register
- Registration
- N16270 · no longer on the register · serial 655
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 14 UNDER A 700 FT CEILING. IT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FT AGL, AND WHILE STILL OVER THE RUNWAY, IT BEGAN A LEFT TURN AND STARTED LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF, HE HAD THROTTLED BACK AND TURNED NORTH. HE STATED THAT HE NOTICED HE WAS LOW AND ADDED POWER, BUT DID NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTER THAT. HE BELIEVED THAT THE PLANE STALLED AND BEGAN TO SPIN. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A MARSH ABOUT 1/4 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,036 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 1,036 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,016 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,006 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aeronca E-113C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N80 Ocean City MD at 12:10 pm
- Destination: N80 Ocean City MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:30 pm from SWAR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N16270 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 ATL82FIG08.