Piper J-3C accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota, July 17, 1999
On July 17, 1999 at about 10:23 pm local time, a Piper J-3C, registered N88593, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning that resulted in exceeding the maximum gross weight of the airplane and the subsequent inadvertent aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1999 · about 10:23 pm local time
- Place
- Maple Lake, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3C · all J-3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N88593 · registry record · serial 16219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The float plane was flown from one lake to another where the pilot picked up a passenger. The pilot reported that during the second take off, he had pitch problems during the climb and that the nose always wanted to pitch up. At approximately 50 to 100 feet, the airplane started turning to the left and the nose pitched down, followed by a crash in the lake. The pilot stated that he did not do a weight and balance or a performance calculation prior to takeoff. The airplane was found with the elevator trim in the full nose down position. The weight and balance of the airplane dated May 12, 1973, recorded the maximum gross weight of the airplane as 1,294 pounds. The approximate weight of the airplane during the accident flight totaled 1420 pounds.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,775 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1999; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,294 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:11 pm from MGG, 1 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.