Douglas DC-3 accident near Apple Creek, Ohio, August 24, 1991
On August 24, 1991 at about 6:08 pm local time, a Douglas DC-3, registered N13JA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apple Creek, Ohio (Stoltzfus Airfield). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 26 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT(S), AND IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM/FUEL SELECTOR. THE LOCATION OF TREES WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1991 · about 6:08 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Creek, Ohio · Stoltzfus Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 26 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3 · all DC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N13JA · registry record · serial 4082
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE FOR A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLT, ITS LEFT ENG LOST PWR. THE ACFT YAWED TO THE LEFT & THE LEFT PROP WAS FEATHERED. THE ACFT'S FLT PATH ANGLED TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY & CROSSED OVER TREES TO THE LEFT OF THE DEP END OF THE RWY. DUE TO A LOSS OF SPEED, THE CAPT REALIZED THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLR A 2ND ROW OF TREES, SO HE REDUCED PWR IN THE RGT ENG & MADE A WHEELS UP LNDG IN A CORN FLD. DRG THE LNDG, THE ACFT WAS DMGD. THE LEFT ENG WAS CHECKED AFTER THE ACDNT & IT PRODUCED TAKEOFF PWR. PERFORMANCE CHARTS SHOWED THAT A TAKEOFF DISTANCE OF 3551' WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO CLEAR A 50' OBSTACLE. THIS DISTANCE WAS PREDICATED ON A HARD SURFACE; NO CORRECTION FACTOR WAS SUPPLIED FOR A TURF RWY. THE GRASS RWY WAS 3600' LONG. RPRTDLY, THE TAKEOFF WAS STARTED WITH 3500' OF RUNWAY REMAINING. THE PLTS WERE USING THE REAR TANKS FOR TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE FLT MANUAL, TAKEOFFS & CLIMBS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE USING THE LEFT & RGT FRONT CENTER WING TANKS, RESPECTIVELY. THE FRONT TANKS HAD ONLY ABOUT 5 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 1,873 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,123 as pilot in command; 312 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52,452 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 20, 1991; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,900 lb
- Seats: 28
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1830-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OH22 at 6:08 pm
- Destination: OH22
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,600 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 24,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 24 |
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.
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 NYC91LA220.