Piper J3C-65 accident near Bartow, Florida, April 10, 1993
On April 10, 1993 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N2218M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bartow, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. THE DOWNDRAFT WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1993 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bartow, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N2218M · registry record · serial 21010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON APPROACH TO LAND TO THE SOUTH, THE AIRPLANE WAS 5 TO 10 FT ABOVE THE WATER ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE NEAR THE SHORE IN A RT WING LOW ATTITUDE, DUE TO A CROSSWIND FROM THE RT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND DESCENDED. THE RT FLOAT IMPACTED THE WATER & THE ACFT THEN CAME TO REST IN 4 FT OF WATER. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE ACFT. THE PLT FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO AIRFRAME OR ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Central Fl Float Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from LAL, 9 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 MIA93LA097.