Piper J3C-65S accident near Haines, Alaska, February 15, 1984
On February 15, 1984 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65S, registered N88327, was destroyed in an accident near Haines, Alaska (Haines airport). 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
- February 15, 1984 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Haines, Alaska · Haines · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65S · all J3C-65Ss on the register
- Registration
- N88327 · registry record · serial 15945
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS THE ACFT MADE AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED AN ALMOST VERTICAL CLIMB. AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL THE ACFT WINGED OVER TO THE LEFT AND DOVE INTO THE GROUND 100 FT FROM THE RWY CENTER AND NEAR THE UPWIND END.THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER TRIM WAS FOUND IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE UP POSITION. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS NOTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION. A GROSS EXTERNAL AUTOPSY OF THE PLT DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT IMPAIRMENT OF HIS ABILITY TO OPERATE THE ACFT.
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: 519 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 471 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,456 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:26 pm from Z26, 3 miles away
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 N88327 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.