Piper J3C accident near Arcadia, Florida, July 4, 2015
On July 4, 2015 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1941 Piper J3C, registered N3274U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Arcadia, Florida (Arcadia Muni airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2015 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Arcadia, Florida · Arcadia Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C 65, built 1941 · all J3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3274U · no longer on the register · serial 6735
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll the airplane veered to the right and departed the runway. He stated that he over-corrected for the excursion and the airplane veered back to the left crossing the runway, and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 172 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 135 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2015
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C-85-8F (piston); 35 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGD Punta Gorda FL at 2:15 pm
- Destination: X06 Arcadia FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PGD, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 9, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photograph 1: Substantial Damage to Empennage (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photograph 2: Substantial Damage to Right Wing (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.