Piper J3F-65 accident near Parker, Arizona, March 30, 2002
On March 30, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper J3F-65, registered N40770, was destroyed in an accident near Parker, Arizona (Parker airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the student to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed following liftoff, which resulted in a stall/mush condition. Also causal was the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight and failure to take timely remedial actions. .
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Parker, Arizona · Parker · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3F-65 · all J3F-65s on the register
- Registration
- N40770 · no longer on the register · serial 7484
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with the ground following a loss of control in the takeoff initial climb and was destroyed in a ground fire about 300 yards north of the departure end of the runway. The student was receiving instruction by the certified flight instructor (CFI). Just after liftoff, the airplane assumed a nose high stall attitude and began "wallowing" with the wings rocking back and forth. The airplane never attained more than 70 feet off the ground as it flew past the departure end of runway, and, while still "wallowing," began a right crosswind turn. The right wingtip contacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled to a stop and then caught fire. In a post accident examination, no mechanical anomalies were discovered with either the airframe systems or engine.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,200 hours in all; 1,828 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 9 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,695.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A&C 65 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: P20 Parker AZ at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,780 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from KBLH, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.