Piper J3C-65 accident near Lynch, Nebraska, December 17, 1989
On December 17, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N6874H, was destroyed in an accident near Lynch, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AIRSPEED WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT RESULTING IN A STALL/SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lynch, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N6874H · registry record · serial 20085
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OCCUPYING REAR SEAT AND THE PASSENGER OCCUPYING FRONT SEAT TOOK OFF FROM A FARM STRIP NEAR LYNCH, NEBRASKA. AFTER COMPLETING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ONE MILE WEST OF LYNCH. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF SYSTEM OR POWER PLANT MALFUNCTION. THE PROPELLER EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF POWER AT IMPACT. NO MEDICAL OR TOXICOLOGICAL FACTORS WERE IDENTIFIED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 980 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from SWO, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.