Piper J3C-65 accident near Seeley Lake, Montana, July 4, 1994
On July 4, 1994 at about 9:58 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N88114, was destroyed in an accident near Seeley Lake, Montana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1994 · about 9:58 pm local time
- Place
- Seeley Lake, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N88114 · registry record · serial 15727
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW AND SLOW DROPPING PING PONG BALLS FROM A DISPENSING TUBE WHILE IN FLIGHT. A VIDEOTAPE OF THE FLIGHT IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CRASH SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT ROLLING RIGHT AND DESCENDING TO THE GROUND. THE TAPE ALSO SHOWED THAT THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DESCENDING TURN THE LEFT AILERON WAS OBSERVED DEFLECTED UPWARDS TO VARYING DEGREES AND THE RIGHT AILERON WAS OBSERVED DEFLECTED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CONTROL OR POWERPLANT MALFUNCTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,017 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MSO, 31 miles away
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.