Piper J3C accident near Poplar Grove, Illinois, April 15, 1995
On April 15, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C, registered N6673H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Poplar Grove, Illinois (Belvidere Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's excessive throttle control and the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student. A factor in the accident was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar Grove, Illinois · Belvidere Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C · all J3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6673H · registry record · serial 19877
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING, THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED STUDENT BEGAN TO TURN THE AIRPLANE TO BACK TAXI TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY TO TAKEOFF AGAIN BY ADVANCING THE THROTTLE AND APPLYING THE LEFT BRAKE. AS THE AIRPLANE TURNED PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR ASSISTED THE STUDENT WITH DEPRESSING THE BRAKE BECAUSE SHE WAS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY. THE THROTTLE WAS FORWARD AND AS THE INSTRUCTOR RELEASED THE PRESSURE OFF THE BRAKE, THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL BEGAN TO LIFT OFF THE GROUND. THE INSTRUCTOR PULLED THE THROTTLE TO THE IDLE POSITION, BUT THE TAIL CONTINUED TO RISE. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE WIND GOT UNDER THE TAIL AND CONTINUED TO MAKE IT RISE. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE BECAME INVERTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 443 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 414 as pilot in command; 95 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,512 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1995; 6 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,500 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.