Piper J3C-65 and Cessna 305E mid-air collision near Asheboro, North Carolina, June 4, 1997
On June 4, 1997 at about 9:51 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper J3C-65 (N804DA) and Cessna 305E (N305JH), were involved in a mid-air collision near Asheboro, North Carolina (Cole Ridge airport). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilots in both airplanes to see and/or avoid a collision with each other.
failure of the pilots in both airplanes to see and/or avoid a collision with each other.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1997 · about 9:51 pm local time
- Place
- Asheboro, North Carolina · Cole Ridge · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N804DA · no longer on the register · serial 5767
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 305E · all 305Es on the register
- Registration
- N305JH · no longer on the register · serial 24090
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper J3C-65 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Cessna 305E, N305JH, had been airborne about 11 minutes, & Piper J3C-65, N804DA, had been airborne about 2 minutes, when a collision of the 2 airplanes occurred. The collision occurred about 2 miles west of the departure airstrip. A witness said he 1st heard a loud sound, then saw both airplanes flying northeast bound. When he 1st saw them, the airplanes appeared to be side by side at the same altitude with the left airplane in a slight bank & the right airplane in a right bank. Both airplanes then entered uncontrolled descent & crashed. No adverse weather was reported. There was evidence that when the midair occurred, the Piper was below & to the left of the Cessna. The upper surface of the left wing of the Piper collided with the left side of the Cessna's empennage just forward of the left horizontal stabilizer. Several of the longerons on the Cessna airplane were damaged, & the cambered surface of the left wing of the Piper airplane was damaged. Exam of the airframes, engines, & flight controls of both airplanes revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The pilot of the Piper had logged 2.0 hrs of formation flying time. The pilot of the Cessna, who was the son of the Piper pilot, was a military pilot & had received military flight training in formation flying.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 305E final · quoted from the NTSB record
Cessna 305E, N305JH, had been airborne about 11 minutes, & Piper J3C-65, N804DA, had been airborne about 2 minutes, when a collision of the 2 airplanes occurred. The collision occurred about 2 miles west of the departure airstrip. A witness said he 1st heard a loud sound, then saw both airplanes flying northeast bound. When he 1st saw them, the airplanes appeared to be side by side at the same altitude with the left airplane in a slight bank & the right airplane in a right bank. Both airplanes then entered uncontrolled descent & crashed. No adverse weather was reported. There was evidence that when the midair occurred, the Piper was below & to the left of the Cessna. The upper surface of the left wing of the Piper collided with the left side of the Cessna's empennage just forward of the left horizontal stabilizer. Several of the longerons on the Cessna airplane were damaged, & the cambered surface of the left wing of the Piper airplane was damaged. Exam of the airframes, engines, & flight controls of both airplanes revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The pilot of the Piper had logged 2.0 hrs of formation flying time. The pilot of the Cessna, who was the son of the Piper pilot, was a military pilot & had received military flight training in formation flying.
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 for the Piper J3C-65 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,240 hours in all; 43 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75-8-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from GSO, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 305E from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,215 hours in all; 118 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-15 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.