Piper J3C-65 accident near Ellenwood, Georgia, July 12, 1983
On July 12, 1983 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N92367, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellenwood, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1983 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ellenwood, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N92367 · no longer on the register · serial 16829
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE FLT, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH 2 UTILITY TRANSMISSION LINES, THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE ACFT HAD CIRCLED THE PASSENGER'S HOME & THE PLT HAD STARTED A TURN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A 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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,560 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1982; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hampton GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 11:00 pm from PDK, 20 miles away
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.
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.