Piper J3C-65 accident near Dublin, West Virginia, November 15, 1988
On November 15, 1988 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N88054, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dublin, West Virginia (New River Valley 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
- November 15, 1988 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dublin, West Virginia · New River Valley · 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
- N88054 · registry record · serial 15667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO HAND PROP HIS ACFT WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE. HE STATED HE CHOCKED BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS THE ENGINE FINALLY STARTED. THE ACFT RAN AT WHAT THE PILOT DESCRIBED AS SOUNDING LIKE FULL POWER. WHILE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GET INSIDE THE ACFT, IT JUMPED OVER THE CHOCKS AND BEGAN TO MOVE. THE PILOT GRABBED THE WING STRUT TO TURN THE ACFT SO IT WOULD NOT CONTACT A SENECA PARKED ON THE RAMP. THE PILOT STATED HE THEN LET GO WHEN IT APPEARED THE ACFT WOULD TRAVEL TOWARD THE RWY AND NOT THE RAMP. THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT CONTACTED THE FUEL PUMPS AND SWUNG AROUND HITTING THE PLT. THE ACFT THEN TURNED TOWARD THE RAMP WHERE IT CONTACTED A PARKED CESSNA 172 AND A CHAIN LINK FENCE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE MAGNETOS AND FUEL SELECTOR WERE ON BUT THE THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,900 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 17,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1988; 46 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 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.