Piper J3C-65 accident near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, March 26, 2000
On March 26, 2000 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N88340, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (Green County Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The private pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and the flight instructor's delay in remedial action. A factor in the accident was the gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2000 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waynesburg, Pennsylvania · Green County Airport · 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
- N88340 · registry record · serial 15958
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing, the private pilot receiving a flight review was attempting to turn the airplane 180 degrees to the left for another takeoff to the west. As the airplane passed though 110 degrees of the turn, the airplane turned upside down before the flight instructor could correct. The winds reported at an airport located about 10 miles to the southeast of the accident site were from 270 degrees at 10 knots, gusts to 19 knots.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,764 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,677 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 15, 2000; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WAY at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MGW, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.