Piper J3C-65 accident near Scheelite, California, June 19, 2024
On June 19, 2024 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1947 Piper J3C-65, registered N3627N, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Scheelite, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent entry to a box canyon where the airplane could not outclimb the rising terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2024 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Scheelite, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65, built 1947 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N3627N · registry record · serial 22879
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the airplane and while flying through mountainous terrain, he mistakenly flew the airplane into a boxed canyon. He felt that the bigger engine would help the airplane climb over the mountains. He noticed the terrain was rising faster than expected but was unable to turn around due constrictive terrain. Realizing the airplane was not going to clear the ridge and concerned the airplane would stall if he attempted to turn around in the narrow pass, he looked for an area to make an off-airport landing. The pilot noticed an area that had a tree and elected to use the tree to take the brunt of the impact during landing. He reduced the airspeed and impacted the tree, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Additionally, the pilot reported that he was seated in the rear seat of the airplane and was not able to lean the engine due to the fuel mixture controls being located in the front seat of the airplane. He believed that the combination of high altitude and the inability to lean the airplane’s engine, degraded the airplane’s performance. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident site examination by local law enforcement revealed that the airplane impacted rugged, remote, mountainous terrain at an elevation 11,200 ft mean sea level (msl). The calculated density altitude was about 12,500 ft.
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
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during enroute defining event
- Navigation error during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › High elevation › Awareness of condition
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private, remote
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,519 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 17, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,170 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-8F (piston); 4,620 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOD Modesto CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: BIH Bishop CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KBIH, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBIH 192156Z AUTO 19010G17KT 10SM CLR 32/M07 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP052 T03171072=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Phone Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of E-mail Correspondence (Leo) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.