Piper J3C-65 accident near Brooker, Florida, June 29, 1991
On June 29, 1991 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N98337, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brooker, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE NONCERTIFICATED PILOT TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTURE & FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1991 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Brooker, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N98337 · no longer on the register · serial 18504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DID NOT OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTURE. THE WX WAS CLEAR AT DEPARTURE BUT THE FLT ENCOUNTERED FOG WHEN IT WAS NEAR THE PLANNED REFUELING DESTINATION. THE FLT PROCEEDED AWAY FROM THE FOG BUT THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENG QUIT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN IN A CLEARING, THE ACFT YAWED TO THE LT & COLLIDED WITH TREES. A DRUG SNIFFING DOG WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE & ALERTED ON THE AIRPLANE BUT NO DRUGS WERE FOUND. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE ACFT LATER THAT AFTERNOON & REPORTED THAT THE FUEL TANK CONTAINED APRX 1 GALLON OF FUEL. THE COCKPIT CONTAINED TWO FULL 5-GALLON FUEL CONTAINERS. VEGETATION WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE CRANKSHAFT AFT OF THE PROPELLER. THE PLT LEFT THE ACCIDENT SITE & WAS SEEN LATER THAT MORNING AT A PAY PHONE BY A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY BUT FLED AFTER SEEING THE DEPUTY.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ZPH Zephyrhills FL at 10:30 am
- Destination: Hilliard FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from GNV, 18 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.