Piper J-3C accident near Independence, Iowa, July 2, 1999
On July 2, 1999 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper J-3C, registered N3371N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Independence, Iowa. 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 insufficient information from the weather forecast resulting in an in-flight encounter with turbulence/gusts and the subsequent precautionary landing. Contributing factors were the gusty/turbulent conditions and the terrain condition (crop).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1999 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Independence, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3C · all J-3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3371N · registry record · serial 22571
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported she encountered severe turbulence and wind gusts of 40 to 50 knots about 10 miles from her destination airport. She reported it became difficult to control the airplane and she reported she decided to put the airplane on the ground before she lost all control. The pilot reported the weather conditions that existed near the destination airport had not been forecast when she had checked the weather about 2.5 hours prior to the accident. She attempted to land the airplane in an oat field. The airplane was traveling about 30 mph over the ground when the airplane impacted the oat field. The airplane traveled about 10 feet when the airplane went up on its nose and sustained substantial damage.
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: 539 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 487 as pilot in command; 52 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,313 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1999; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HCD Hutchinson MN at 4:30 pm
- Destination: IIB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 40 knots, gusting 50
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.