Piper J3C-65 accident near Elk Grove, California, February 22, 1996
On February 22, 1996 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N75772, was destroyed in an accident near Elk Grove, California (Private airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to see and avoid the obstruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1996 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Elk Grove, California · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N75772 · registry record · serial 13561
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane struck one of three 340-foot-high radio transmission towers about 37 feet from the top. The airplane had departed the pilot's private ranch airstrip located about 1.28 nautical miles southeast of the tower minutes before the accident. The towers are depicted on the aeronautical sectional chart, and were marked as an obstruction to air navigation with alternate sections of aviation orange and aviation white paint.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,780 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 1,850 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from SAC, 10 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX96FA120.