Piper J3C-65 accident near Kilgore, Texas, October 19, 1984
On October 19, 1984 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N6248H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kilgore, Texas (Kilgore airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1984 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kilgore, Texas · Kilgore · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N6248H · registry record · serial 19423
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAXIING NORTH TO THE END OF THE STRIP A 180 DEG TURN WAS MADE PRIOR TO TAKEOFF TO THE SOUTH. OUT OF THE TURN THE ACFT WAS LINED UP WITH THE LEFT WING TIP CLOSE TO THE FENCE. THE PLT INTENDED TO CORRECT HIS LINE-UP DURING THE ROLL. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, A COMBINATION OF ENG TORQUE AND A SLIGHT RIGHT CROSSWING CAUSED THE ACFT TO DRIFT INTO THE FENCE. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP AFTER ROLLING THROUGH APPX 150 FT OF FENCE. THE NEAREST WX OBSERVATION FACILITY RECORDED WIND FROM 120 DEG AT 5 KTS.
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: 144 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 60 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 25, 1984; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kilgore TX at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,040 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:49 pm from GGG, 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.