Piper J3C-65 accident near White Lake, South Dakota, January 22, 2007
On January 22, 2007 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N98096, was substantially damaged in an accident near White Lake, South Dakota. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control and a nose over. A factor associated with the accident was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2007 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- White Lake, South Dakota · 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
- N98096 · registry record · serial 18246
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was landing on a road in a crosswind. During the landing roll, the left wing lifted, and the airplane drifted to the right. The right main landing gear subsequently encountered a snowbank, and the airplane nosed over.
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: 178 hours in all; 136 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A&C65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: White Lake SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MHE, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 CHI07CA061.