Piper J-3C accident near Rochester, Indiana, October 29, 1995
On October 29, 1995 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper J-3C, registered N88037, was destroyed in an accident near Rochester, Indiana (Fulton County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed after takeoff, which resulted in a stall. A factor relating to the accident was: the gusty wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1995 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, Indiana · Fulton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3C · all J-3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N88037 · registry record · serial 15654
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 29, A WIND GUST AT ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO GO TO A NEAR INVERTED ATTITUDE AND STALL. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WIND SPEED AT 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS. WITNESS'S ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN THE RIGHT TURN BETWEEN 50 AND 200 FEET AGL. TWO WITNESS'S REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO GO INTO A WINGOVER BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND.
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: 1,336 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 1995; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 3LP Laporte IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from GUS, 24 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.
Other NTSB records under N88037 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.