Piper J3C-65 accident near Oakland, Maryland, July 24, 1985
On July 24, 1985, a Piper J3C-65, registered N70336, was destroyed in an accident near Oakland, Maryland. 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 24, 1985
- Place
- Oakland, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N70336 · registry record · serial 17317
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD BEEN OBSERVED ON THE DAY OF THIS FLT AND ON THE 'PAST COUPLE OF DAYS' TO BE FLYING LOW AND VERY SLOW AT TREE TOP LEVEL. GROUND WITNESSES HEARD THE SOUNDS OF THE CRASH BUT COULD NOT SEE THE ACFT AT THE TIME. THE ACFT IMPACTEDTHE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THE ENG WAS OPERATING UNDER LOW PWR WITH THE MAGNETO SWITCH SELECTED TO THE RIGHT MAGNETO. BOTH MAGNETOS CONTAINED OIL AND TWO HIGH TENSION TERMINAL WERE BROKEN IN THE LEFT MAGNETO.
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: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 945 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Oakland MD at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.