Piper J3C-65 accident near Urbana, Illinois, August 21, 1996
On August 21, 1996 at about 11:56 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N23176, was substantially damaged in an accident near Urbana, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed. A factor was the diverted attention of the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1996 · about 11:56 pm local time
- Place
- Urbana, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N23176 · registry record · serial 2956
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was giving rides in the airplane, and conducting the third ride of the day. While on the climb he noticed what he thought to be an unusual engine sound. He continued the climb and told his passenger that he would return to the airport. He then initiated a turn to land in the opposite direction on the runway he had just departed. At about the 180-degree point of the turn the airplane departed controlled flight and impacted the terrain in a cornfield.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 505 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 412 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,656 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1996; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from KCM, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.