Piper J3C-65 accident near Bethany, New York, April 20, 1986
On April 20, 1986 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N88379, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethany, New York (Bethany Hales Airstrip 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 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
- April 20, 1986 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bethany, New York · Bethany Hales Airstrip
- 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
- N88379 · registry record · serial 15997
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE ARPT AFTER A TURN OF APRX 120 DEGREES TO AVOID 60 FT TREES AT THE DEPARTURE EDGE OF THE ARPT. THE PLT HAD USED THE GRASS BESIDE THE AIRSTRIP BECAUSE OF STANDING WATER AT PLACES ON THE RWY. THE TAKEOFF RUN WAS STARTED ABOUT 500 FT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE RWY ON THE HAY STUBBLE ADJACENT TO THE HANGAR. AUTO FUEL WAS BEING USED WITHOUT STC AUTHORIZATION. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT SEEMED TO STOP CLIMBING AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL AND HE THOUGHT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES AHEAD. DURING THE TURN THE ACFT STALLED AND WAS LANDED WITH THROTTLE STILL FULL OPEN ACCORDING TO THE PLT. THE THROTTLE WAS CLOSED AS THE PLANE APPROACHED SMALL TREES AND A HEDGE ROW. THESE TREES WERE HIT BY THE RT WING AND THE ACFT SWUNG RT TO A STOP. THE PLT SAID LATER THAT HE FOUND THE ELEVATOR TRIM ALMOST ALL THE WAY NOSE DOWN WHICH MADE HIM THINK THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB. HE SAID THAT THE 200 LB ACFT OWNER HAD FLOWN THE ACFT ON ITS LAST FLT AND SINCE HE SAT IN THE REAR SEAT HAD TRIMMED THE ACFT NOSE HEAVY.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 670 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 702 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,170 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.