Piper J-3 accident near Rockford, Illinois, September 3, 1983
On September 3, 1983 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper J-3, registered N99163, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockford, Illinois. 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
- September 3, 1983 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rockford, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3 · all J-3s on the register
- Registration
- N99163 · no longer on the register · serial 16741
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THE ENGINE QUIT, SPUTTERED AND QUIT AGAIN BEFORE HE LANDED IN A BEAN FEILD AND NOSED OVER. PLT WHO IS ALSO AN A&P MECHANIC HAD BEEN USING SLOSHING/SEALING COMPOUND (RANDOLPH TANK SEALER #802) IN THE FUEL TANK. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE COMPOUND WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINE AND ON THE FUEL STRAINER. THE COMPOUND WAS BOUGHT IN 1980 ANDWAS DATED 12-9-78. THE FAILURE OF THE COMPOUND TO ADHEAR TO THE FUEL TANK WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE STALENESS OF THE COMPOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 875 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,246 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 32IL Lena IL
- Destination: Roscoe IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from RFD, 7 miles away
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.