Piper J3 accident near Athens, Georgia, July 7, 1993
On July 7, 1993 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper J3, registered N70894, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Georgia (Ben Epps airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DUAL STUDENT'S IMPROPER APPLICATION OF WHEEL BRAKES PRIOR TO LOWERING THE TAIL WHEEL AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CFI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1993 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia · Ben Epps · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3 · all J3s on the register
- Registration
- N70894 · registry record · serial 17919
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT DURING A WHEELS LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF TO THE RIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO BRAKE AND NOSED OVER. HE STATED THAT THE DUAL STUDENT WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND HAD CONTROL OF THE BRAKES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 370 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 299 as pilot in command; 42 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,723 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 1993; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from AHN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N70894 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.