Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, March 24, 1989
On March 24, 1989 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, registered N60KB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Pleasant Valley 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
LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND CONTROL INTERFERENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1989 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Pleasant Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 · all N3N-3s on the register
- Registration
- N60KB · registry record · serial 2747
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE BEGINNING OF A PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY USING A THREE POINT TAKEOFF. WHEN THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, THE ANGLE OF ATTACK WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE NOSE WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE STALLING. THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. AFTER THE ACCIDENT IT WAS NOTED THAT THE FRONT SEATBELT WAS TIED TO THE CONTROL STICK IN THE AFT POSITION. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MUST HAVE OVERLOOKED IT DURING THE PREFLIGHT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 248 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1988; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright O-760 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,500 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.