Piper J3C accident near N Fort Myers, Florida, June 1, 1988
On June 1, 1988 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper J3C, registered N98178, was destroyed in an accident near N Fort Myers, Florida (Pine Shadows Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1988 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- N Fort Myers, Florida · Pine Shadows Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C · all J3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N98178 · registry record · serial 18340
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TKOF ON RWY 27 WITH THE WIND FM 060 DEG AT 12 GUSTING 23 KTS. DENSITY ALT WAS 2100'. WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT WAS IN A SLOW SPEED, NOSE HI CLIMB, WHEN ENG PWR WAS INTERRUPTED MOMENTARILY. PWR WAS RESTORED, BUT SOON THEREAFTER, THE ACFT ROLLED RGT, ENTERED A DSCNT FM ABT 200' AGL & CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FND. THE ACFT HAD BEEN SVCD WITH AUTO FUEL, BUT NO STC HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR SUCH FUEL. NO WEIGHT & BALANCE (W/B) INFO WAS AVAILABLE IN THE LOGS. USING W/B INFO FROM WHEN THE ACFT WAS MANUFACTURED, CORRECTED FOR INSTALLATION OF FUEL TANKS, THE ACFT WAS ESTD TO HAVE BEEN 68 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 89 & 68 DEGS, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, SERIOUS CARB ICING COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT GLIDE POWER. THE CARB HEAT WAS FND IN THE COLD OR OFF POSITION.
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
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(PARTIAL) - NONMECHANICAL during takeoff - initial climb
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during takeoff - initial climb
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during takeoff - initial climb
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea, none, none, none
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: type not recorded, November 15, 1987; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 192°C, dew point 154°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
- Observation at 9:24 pm from FMY, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA88FA184.