Piper J3C-65 accident near Gasport, New York, August 11, 2001
On August 11, 2001 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N6153H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gasport, New York (Royalton Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain a proper climb airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with a hangar.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2001 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gasport, New York · Royalton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N6153H · registry record · serial 19319
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The wind was reported as calm at an airport about 15 miles away from the departure airport. The pilot stated that at the departure airport, the windsock indicated winds from the west at 5 to 10 knots. He departed on runway 27, a 1,650-foot long, 50-foot wide, grass runway. The pilot further stated that during the initial climb, the airplane encountered light turbulence while climbing above the tree line. The airplane did not seem to climb as it normally would have. The pilot avoided the first hangar at the end of the runway by making a shallow turn to the left, but he could not avoid the second hangar. The airplane struck the second hangar and came to rest on the roof. The pilot added that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The second hangar was located about 75 to 100 left of the runway centerline, and set back from the first hangar that the pilot initially avoided. The second hangar was approximately 12 feet high and 50 feet wide, with a flat roof. The airplane was resting about 30 degrees nose down, into the roof of the hangar, and oriented to a heading of about 180 degrees. The engine and cockpit area forward of the wings had protruded through the hangar roof. The underside of the fuselage was buckled, but there was no apparent structural damage to the wings. Aside from the impact on the hangar roof, the airplane did not collide with any other structures. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that runway 27 was maintained, and the grass was recently mowed. He added that, the airplane was within the weight and balance limitations during the takeoff.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,722 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 1,385 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,298 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 2001; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9G5 Gasport NY at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,650 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from BUF, 15 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.