Piper J3C-65 accident near Mcconnelsville, Ohio, June 30, 2002
On June 30, 2002 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N35545, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcconnelsville, Ohio (Morgan County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2002 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mcconnelsville, Ohio · Morgan County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N35545 · no longer on the register · serial 6450
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing, the airplane began to drift right, and the pilot applied an excessive amount of left rudder input. The pilot then applied the brakes, but the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck uneven terrain. The pilot reported a total flight experience of 57 hours; of which, 3 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot had not flown for 1 year, and then flew about 3 hours within the 24-hour period preceding the accident.
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: 57 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 27, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I71 Mcconnelsville OH at 2:55 pm
- Destination: I71
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,500 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from ZZV, 17 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.