Piper J3C-65 accident near Argyle, New York, June 12, 1983
On June 12, 1983 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N19AN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Argyle, New York (Argyle airport). It was a personal 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1983 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Argyle, New York · Argyle · 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
- N19AN · registry record · serial 4045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENG BY HAND PROPPING FOR APRX 20 MIN. THE ENG FINALLY STARTED & CONTINUED TO REV UP. DURING THIS TIME, THE PASSENGER WAS IN THE REAR SEAT. AS THE PLT WAS RETURNING TO THE COCKPIT, THE ACFT BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE PLT WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY THE WING STRUT & THE ACFT CONTINUED IN A WIDE SEMI-CIRCLE. REPORTEDLY, THE PASSENGER WAS APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE, BUT COULD NOT STOP THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT OFF A 15 FT EMBANKMENT OF A GRAVEL PIT. IT IMPACTED NOSE FIRST IN THE PIT, THEN CAME TO REST AGAINST THE OPPOSITE EMBANKMENT.
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: 82 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,545 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 27, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N19AN the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 NYC83LA163.