Piper J3-C65 accident near Andover, New Jersey, July 7, 2002
On July 7, 2002 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Piper J3-C65, registered N9264, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andover, New Jersey (Trinca airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action, and the private pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2002 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Andover, New Jersey · Trinca · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3-C65 · all J3-C65s on the register
- Registration
- N9264 · registry record · serial 17062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was receiving training for tailwheel endorsement. Near the end of the flight, and after completing a landing, the private pilot climbed the airplane to 600 feet and turned crosswind. At 700 feet, the flight instructor reduced power to simulate an engine failure. The private pilot "kept pulling the nose up," and the flight instructor told him three times to "keep the nose down." The private pilot turned the airplane 90 degrees, towards the airstrip. He let the airplane "get too slow and low," and the flight instructor took control. As he did so, the airplane stalled and entered a right spin. The flight instructor recovered from the spin about 30 feet above the ground, added power, and saw trees ahead. He turned the airplane steeply to avoid the trees, and during the rollout from the steep turn, the airplane's left wing impacted the ground.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 762 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 645 as pilot in command; 160 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 236 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2002; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 13N Andover NJ at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from MMU, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC02LA133.