Thursday, May 15, 2025

Piper J3C-65 Cub, N98416, fatal accident occurred on May 4, 2025, near Wilson, Kansas

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board travelled to the scene of this accident.

Investigator In Charge (IIC): Abraham, Laura

Additional Participating Entities:

Chris Zalusky; FAA Wichita FSDO; Wichita, KS 

Matthew Richardson; FAA; Wichita, KS

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N98416

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200099/pdf

  • Location: Wilson, KS 
  • Accident Number: CEN25FA166 
  • Date & Time: May 4, 2025, 13:25 Local 
  • Registration: N98416 
  • Aircraft: Piper J3C-65 
  • Injuries: 1 Fatal 
  • Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal 

On May 4, 2025, about 1325 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-65 airplane, N98416 was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Wilson, Kansas. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.

The accident airplane and another airplane, piloted by the pilot’s friend, departed Eck Field (SN64) near Goddard, Kansas, and proceeded to Lucas Airport (38K) in Lucas, Kansas, 94 nm southeast of SN64. The pilot and his friend had lunch at 38K and then departed back to SN64. On the way back to SN64, they planned to stop at Lyons Airport (LYO) near Lyons, Kansas, to refuel.

According to the pilot’s friend, after their lunch at 38K, they checked the fuel and oil in their respective airplanes, determined that the amount of fuel and oil were sufficient, departed 38K, and proceeded towards LYO.

According to the pilot’s friend, they were in a shallow climb on a southeast heading about 1,200 to 1,500 ft above ground level when the friend witnessed the accident airplane bank to right, in a nose low attitude. The bank continued to increase, and the nose low attitude steepened until the airplane impacted the ground in a near vertical, nose down attitude. Before the accident airplane banked to the right, the friend said they were talking on the radio and nothing seemed amiss. At no time during the accident sequence did the pilot issue a distress call.

The airplane impacted a grassy field about 17 nm southeast of 38K. The airplane traveled about 45 ft from the initial impact site to the main wreckage and came to rest inverted on a heading of about 186°.

At the initial impact site was a piece of fabric-covered wood from the right wingtip embedded in the ground. Debris followed the piece of wood in a straight line on a 266° heading. The debris field consisted of metal wing spars, plexiglass, and a large piece of fabric from the right wingtip. The engine, the damaged propeller attached at the hub, header fuel tank, instrument panel, and airplane door were located about 25 ft after the initial impact site. The header fuel tank was crushed and breeched. No fuel was present in the header fuel tank. The main wreckage was located about 20 ft from the engine. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, wings, and vertical and horizontal stabilizers.

About 2 years before the accident, the pilot told his friend that the airplane had a slight rightturning tendency when he let go of the control stick during flight, so he had to keep constant left pressure on the control stick to keep the airplane straight and level. His friend said the pilot did not seek to fix the problem because it was not too much of a concern. The friend flew the accident airplane and confirmed the right turning tendency; however, he said the right turning tendency was controllable while holding left pressure on the control stick.

The airplane wreckage and engine were retained for further examination.

Cessna 177RG Cardinal RG, N52156, fatal accident occurred on May 1, 2025, near Nevada County Airport (GOO/KGOO), Grass Valley, California

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board travelled to the scene of this accident.

Investigator In Charge (IIC): Joyce, Stacia

Additional Participating Entities:

David Machado; Federal Aviation Administration; Sacramento, CA 

Mark Platt; Lycoming; Phoenix , AZ 

Jennifer Barclay; Textron Aviation; Witchita, KS

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N826E

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199972/pdf

Andy Leavitt Enterprises LLC

  • Location: Grass Valley, CA 
  • Accident Number: WPR25FA146 
  • Date & Time: May 1, 2025, 08:15 Local 
  • Registration: N52156 Aircraft: Cessna 177RG 
  • Injuries: 1 Fatal 
  • Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal


On May 1, 2025, about 0815 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 177RG airplane, N52156, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Grass Valley, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.


The accident airplane was equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS–B), which provides position information via satellite navigation or other sensors and periodically broadcasts it, enabling the airplane to be tracked. According to the ADS-B data, the airplane departed Auburn Municipal Airport (AUN), Auburn, California at around 0805 and flew to Nevada County Airport (GOO), Grass Valley, California. A review of archived voice communication information from the GOO common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) revealed that the pilot first reported his position to be 1/2 mile to the south of GOO and was intending to cross over midfield to enter a left downwind for runway 07. About one minute later, the pilot reported turning left downwind for runway 07. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported turning left base, and about 30 seconds later he was recorded saying: “Nevada County mayday, mayday, mayday I have lost engine”.


The airplane came to rest inverted alongside a road in a business district of Grass Valley, at an elevation of about 2,500 ft mean sea level, about 1 mile west of GOO.


The fuselage was oriented on an east to west heading and both wings remained attached to the fuselage. Both sides of the stabilator were separated from the empennage. The left stabilator was located about 114 ft from the main wreckage on a 083° heading and the right stabilator was located about 128 ft from the main wreckage on a 071° heading. The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer, and both were bent to the right. The engine was impact separated and came to rest on top of the left wing. 


The first identified point of impact was a pair of 60 ft tall pine trees, located about 250 ft from the main wreckage on a heading of 086°, and situated on slightly higher terrain than the main wreckage (see figure 1). Both stabilators exhibited damage consistent with contact with the pine trees. Debris from the pine trees was found scattered between the stabilators and main wreckage (see figure 2).




The second identified point of impact was a signature mark in the soil that contained red fragments consistent with the left wingtip position light. Flight control cable continuity was partially established from each flight control surface to the cockpit. Due to impact damage, cable continuity could not be determined to the cockpit controls.


The wing mounted fuel tanks and lines were found to be breached, and residual quantities of fuel consistent with 100LL aviation fuel were observed in the left wing fuel tank. Neither of the propeller blades exhibited rotational damage.


The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for Airplane Single Engine Land (ASEL). According to the pilot’s logbook he had about 311 hours of total flight time and 64 hours in the airplane accident since March 2024.


The pilot held a basic med certificate and completed a medical self-assessment on April 15, 2025.


The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation.