Piper J3C-65 accident near Dixon, Montana, September 9, 1994
On September 9, 1994 at about 6:00 am local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N42056, was destroyed in an accident near Dixon, Montana. It was an aerial observation 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 PILOT IN COMMAND'S ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT AIRSPEED TO DECREASE BELOW THE STALL SPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1994 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Dixon, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N42056 · no longer on the register · serial 2356A
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON AN AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT AND CRASHED THEREAFTER. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT AND THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS UNKNOWN. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP, NOSE LOW, LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CRASH SITE WAS ON A MODERATELY UPSLOPING, WOODED, HILLSIDE, IN A SMALL, 100 FOOT DIAMETER CLEARING. NO TREES WERE IMPACTED DURING THE CRASH. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER FORWARD FLANGE PLATE AND THE PROPELLER BLADE INDICATED SOME DEGREE OF ROTATIONAL ENERGY AT IMPACT.
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: 293 hours in all; 163 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 245 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,161 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 1993; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8S1 Polson MT at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from MSO, 31 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.
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.