Piper J3C-65 accident near Olney, Illinois, September 3, 1984
On September 3, 1984 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N6620H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olney, 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, 1984 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Olney, Illinois · 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
- N6620H · registry record · serial 19819
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE A/C WAS FLOWN IN AN AIRSHOW BY THE OWNER. AFTER HE LANDED THE ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN AND REFUELED. THE REFUELING AND THE PREFLIGHT WERE DONE RAPIDLY TO ALLOW THE OWNERS SON, A STUDENT PLT, TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT AHEAD OF THE CROWD. ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1,000 FT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN A CORN FIELD AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. INVESTIGATION BY THE OWNER REVEALED THAT THE FUEL VALVE CONFIGURATION LEFT ONLY ABOUT 1/2 GALLON OF FUEL IN THE HEADER TANK AVAILABLE TO THE ENGINE. THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE VALVE POSITION DURING DESCENT.
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: student
- Flight time: 290 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 196 in the last 90 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,545 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1984; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OLY Olney IL at 9:12 pm
- Destination: MTO Charleston IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MVN
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.