Piper J3C-65 N2094M
28 December 2003 · Peoria, Arizona, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 28 December 2003 at about 20:12 local time, a Piper J3C-65 registered N2094M was involved in an accident near Peoria, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:12
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Peoria, Arizona, United States
- Nearest airport
- Pleasant Valley (P48)
- Coordinates
- 33.8011, -112.2511
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65
- Registration
- N2094M
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Pleasant Valley → Peoria
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC04FA016
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The inadequate visual lookout by the pilots of both aircraft, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid each other's aircraft and a subsequent midair collision. A factor associated with the accident was the airplane pilot's failure to determine that the aerobatic box was in use by the glider prior to his entry into the aerobatic box.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The commercial certificated pilot of an aerobatic glider, with one passenger, was performing a series of aerobatic maneuvers within an aerobatic box, which was adjacent to runway 5L at an uncontrolled airport. The aerobatic box measured 1 kilometer square, and extended from the surface up to 6,600 feet msl (5000' agl). The southern boundary of the aerobatic box was located about 1,490 feet north of runway 5L's centerline. Concurrently, a Piper J3C airplane with the commercial pilot/flight instructor/airplane owner seated in the front seat, and a private pilot seated in the rear seat, departed runway 5L, and made a left downwind turn into the area where the glider was performing the aerobatic maneuvers. Witnesses said that as the glider reached the top of the loop, the nose lowered, eventually pointing straight down. As the glider began to recover from the maneuver, about 600 feet agl, the left wing of the oncoming Piper struck the tail of the glider between the empennage and the main fuselage, severing the empennage of the glider. Witnesses said that during the collision, a large portion of the left outboard wing of the Piper separated, and both the glider and the Piper entered uncontrolled descents. Both aircraft came to rest close to the center of the aerobatic box. According to the airport facilities directory, aircraft departing from runway 5L, are instructed to fly a right-hand traffic pattern. However, the airport's segmented circle depicts a left-hand departure from runway 5L. Radio equipped aircraft may utilize a common traffic advisory frequency of 122.9 Hz. Neither of the aircraft involved in the accident had a radio, nor were they required to. The front seat pilot of the Piper had based the accident airplane at the accident airport for several years, and was familiar with the procedures for operating at the airport.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piper J3C-65 | N2094M | - | Destroyed |
| Schleicher ASK-21 | N274KS | Turf Soaring School | Destroyed |
Other Piper J3C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 2003 | Piper J3C-65 | Tocsin, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 May 2003 | Piper J3C-65 | Wilmot, Wisconsin, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Apr 2003 | Piper J3C-65 | Pahokee, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 2003 | Piper J3C-65 | Taunton, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Sep 2003 | Piper J3C-65 | South Shore, South Dakota, United States | Christian T. Reimche | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 2003 | Piper J3C-65 | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 2003 | Piper PA-23-250 | Flagstaff, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 12 Jul 2003 | Cessna 172S | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Angel Air | No injuries | - |
| 25 Apr 2003 | Piper PA-28-181 | Bullhead City, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 2003 | Ercoupe 415-C | Saint Johns, Arizona, United States | Robert Greenwade | No injuries | - |
| 15 Mar 2003 | Piper PA24 | Mesa, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 2003 | Cessna 150C | Tucson, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |