Amateur-built AC-100 accident near Chipley, Florida, March 24, 1982
On March 24, 1982 at about 10:15 pm local time, a amateur-built AC-100, registered N3870X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chipley, Florida. It was a ferry 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 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
- March 24, 1982 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chipley, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AC-100
- Registration
- N3870X · no longer on the register · serial 167
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT/MECHANIC WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT FROM WHERE THE OWNER KEPT THE AIRCRAFT TO THE MAINTAINANCE FACILITY APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES AWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AFTER LEVEL OFF THE ENGINE QUIT. A ROAD WAS SELECTED TO LAND ON BUT AT THE LAST MINUTE THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A NEARBY FIELD DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER CLEARING SOME TREES THE AIRCRAFT LOST AIRSPEED AND STALLED ABOUT 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL STRAINER WAS FULL OF WATER. THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT FLOWN FOR 5 MONTHS.
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: student
- Flight time: 155 hours in all; 23 in the last 90 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 885 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chipley FL
- Destination: Chipley FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 153°F (67°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DHN, 35 miles away
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.