Piper J3C N33066

Summary

On 22 April 1989 at about 01:38 local time, a Piper J3C registered N33066, operated by Nelson, MAX M., was involved in an accident near Ashland, Nebraska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 1989 at 01:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Ashland, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

41.0397, -96.3693

Aircraft

Piper J3C

Registration

N33066

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Nelson, MAX M.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Weeping Water → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

MKC89FA094

2 people died.

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE FLYING OVER A MEANDERING RIVER, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT AND HIS PASSENGER (WIFE), WHO HAD BEEN SEPARATED FOR SOME TIME, DEPARTED ON A LOCAL FLT FROM WEEPING WATER, NE. ALTHOUGH NOT VERIFIED, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS BELIEVED TO BE FOR PERSONAL REASONS. LATER, SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVEDTHE ACFT FLYING LOW & SLOW OVER THE PLATTE RIVER. A WITNESS NEAR ASHLAND, NE, RPRTD THE ACFT WAS SO LOW THAT THE PLT INITIATED A CLIMB TO CROSS OVER A BRIDGE. WITNESSES LAST SAW THE ACFT FLYING UP THE MEANDERING RIVER (UPSTREAM) AT LOW ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED IN 3 TO 4 FT OF WATER, ABOUT 30 YDS FROM THE SHORE. THE ACFT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, ON A DOWNSTREAM HEADING. THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT, BUT THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD COCKPIT, WINGS, WING STRUTS & LANDING GEAR. THE EMPENNAGE & AFT FUSELAGE WERE UNDAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE PLT HAD A URINE/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.108% & A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.058%.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.