Piper J3C-65S accident near Abbot Village, Maine, July 11, 1983
On July 11, 1983 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65S, registered N42847, was destroyed in an accident near Abbot Village, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1983 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Abbot Village, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65S · all J3C-65Ss on the register
- Registration
- N42847 · registry record · serial 15167
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO DEPART A POND TO THE SOUTH & CLIMB OVER TREES WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. THE ACFT STARTED A RIGHTBANK AS IF TO RETURN TO THE POND & STALLED INTO THE TREES. ONE WITNESS HEARD THE ENG RESTART JUST BEFORE THE CRASH. THE LAST ANNUAL RECORDED IN THE ACFT'S LOGBOOK WAS ON 6/6/82. ANALYSIS OF A FUEL SAMPLE SHOWED THAT THE FUEL MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLED AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE THAN AVGAS. THE SAMPLE ALSO SHOWED AN EXISTENT GUM OF 91.5 MG/100ML WHICH WAS OILY IN NATURE. 10 MG/100ML IS THE SPECIFICATION LIMIT.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 625 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:58 pm from BGR, 35 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.