Piper J3C-65 accident near Milledgeville, Georgia, October 3, 1984
On October 3, 1984 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N38685, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milledgeville, Georgia (Baldwin City 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 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
- October 3, 1984 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Milledgeville, Georgia · Baldwin City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N38685 · no longer on the register · serial 7193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED FOR THE INTENDED DESTINATION, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE ARPT DUE TO FOG. AFTER LANDING AT ANOTHER NEARBY ARPT, HE FOUND NO AV-GAS AVAILABLE. HE THEN ELECTED TO RETURN TO HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION, BUT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION APRX 7 MI SHORT OF THE ARPT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A PLOWED FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE GEAR WHEEL SANK IN SOFT SOIL & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE ELAPSED TIME FROM INITIAL TAKEOFF UNTIL THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WAS 45 MIN. THE PLT ESTIMATED HIS FUEL REMAINING AT THE TIME OF INITIAL TAKEOFF TO BE 72 MINUTES.
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
- Flight time: 431 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 336 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 30, 1983; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3J7 Sandersville GA at 1:45 pm
- Destination: MLJ Milledgeville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:00 am
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.