Piper J3C-65 accident near Williams Lake, Michigan, July 19, 2011
On July 19, 2011 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N88000, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Williams Lake, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of control during approach due to the front seat passenger's belt buckle being wedged between the rear seat,the rudder pedal and floor board.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2011 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Williams Lake, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N88000 · registry record · serial 15617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed after performing a local flight with a passenger. The passenger, who was seated in the front seat, exited the airplane. The pilot then departed on another local flight. During the approach for landing, while turning from the base leg to final approach, he was unable to move the left rudder pedal. The airplane entered a right hand spiral and impacted a tree and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the front seat belt buckle had jammed between the rear seat rudder pedal and floor board.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Loss of control in flight during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Flight compartment equipment › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Not specified
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,607 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Williams Lake MI
- Destination: Williams Lake MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PTK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.