Piper J3C accident near Pembroke Pines, Florida, March 8, 1994
On March 8, 1994 at about 12:41 pm local time, a Piper J3C, registered N35112, was destroyed in an accident near Pembroke Pines, Florida (North Perry Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING A CLIMBING TURN AFTER BANNER PICKUP AND HER USE OF EXCESSIVE AIRCRAFT NOSE UP TRIM WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1994 · about 12:41 pm local time
- Place
- Pembroke Pines, Florida · North Perry Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C · all J3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N35112 · no longer on the register · serial 6120
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB TO THE NORTH WITH A BANNER IN TOW. THE FLIGHT TURNED TOWARD THE WEST AT ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND AND APPEARED TO ALMOST STOP IN THE AIR. THE LEFT WING DROPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIN TO THE LEFT. THE ENGINE NOISE CEASED AND THE AIRCRAFT SPUN UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT HAD 437 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS WITH 168 HOURS IN PIPER J-3 AIRCRAFT. SHE HAD 146 FLIGHT HOURS TOWING BANNERS. THE PILOT HAD BEEN COUNSELED BY COMPANY PERSONNEL ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO GET TOO SLOW AFTER BANNER PICKUP AND FOR PERFORMING UNCOORDINATED TURNS AT SLOW SPEED AFTER BANNER PICKUP. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS FOUND 1 DEGREE FROM THE FULL NOSE UP POSITION. COMPANY PERSONNEL STATED THAT A SLIGHT NOSE UP TRIM IS USED FOR BANNER PICKUP AND NEAR FULL NOSE UP TRIM IS EXCESSIVE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 437 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1994; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36L, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:41 pm from HWO, 1 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.