Piper J3C accident near Middlesex, North Carolina, August 5, 1991
On August 5, 1991 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper J3C, registered N2139M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middlesex, North Carolina. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING IN A TURN ON INITIAL CLIMB OUT RESULTING IN A STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1991 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Middlesex, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C · all J3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2139M · registry record · serial 20926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON INITIAL TAKEOFF, THE J-3 PILOT INITIATED A LEFT TURN AT ABOUT 125 FEET AGL. HE THEN NOTICED THAT THE AIRSPEED HAD DECAYED TO ABOUT 40 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, AND THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND BEFORE A RECOVERY COULD BE MADE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE; HE WAS MAINTAINING A STEEP, NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE ON THE INITIAL CLIMB AND DID NOT MONITOR HIS AIRSPEED.
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: 138 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:00 pm from RWI, 14 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.