Piper J3C-65 accident near Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota, July 29, 2022
On July 29, 2022 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1945 Piper J3C-65, registered N42584, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota. 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff from a gravel driveway resulting in an impact with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2022 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65, built 1945 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N42584 · registry record · serial 14865
- 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 taking off from a private gravel driveway when the airplane’s right wheel went off the edge of the driveway into a drainage ditch. The airplane subsequently veered to the right, crossed a road, and impacted a small tree. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2022; 2,120 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75 (piston); 1,480 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 4:05 pm
- Destination: Y49 Walker MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 74°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 13, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report CEN22LA348 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record Pilot and Witness Statement Summaries CEN22LA348 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array CEN22LA348 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.