Piper J3C-65 accident near Leesburg, Ohio, August 21, 1994
On August 21, 1994, a Piper J3C-65, registered N92483, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Ohio (Donner Field). It was a personal 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED DURING LANDING RESULTING IN AN OVERRUN AND COLLISION WITH A FENCE. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE WET RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1994
- Place
- Leesburg, Ohio · Donner Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N92483 · registry record · serial 16955
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT THE PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. HE REPORTED THAT A THUNDERSTORM PASSED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER, AND THAT THE 2000 FOOT LONG, GRASS STRIP WAS WET. HE STATED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED FIVE NORMAL LANDINGS SUCCESSFULLY EARLIER THAT DAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL, AND ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 7, THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE FLOATED A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE IT TOUCHED DOWN. HE STATED THAT UPON TOUCHDOWN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT DUE TO THE WET GRASS HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME TO AVOID STRIKING THE FENCE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND REPORTED THAT THE BRAKES WERE OPERATIONAL. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: 67 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1994; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT OH at 11:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from DAY, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N92483 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO94LA142.