Laughlin Bullhead City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bullhead City, Arizona 86430
Sunday, July 27, 1997 18:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was selling rides in a vintage Piper J3, which was equipped with floats and was being operated from the Colorado River. He was operating from an island in the river next to a residential area. Witnesses reported that the plane had been flying up and down the river at 40 to 50 feet. They said that the pilot would reverse course by pulling the nose up, turning 180 degrees, then leveling out just above the water. During a course reversal at low altitude, the airplane descended into the river. Warm temperatures and gusty winds were reported.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper judgement of the pilot by intentionally performing low level maneuvers, and his misjudgment of a level-off over water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BULLHEAD CITY
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86430
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAUGHLIN BULLHEAD CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KIFP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID KIF
Elevation of weather observation facility 692
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1242
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 27 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3339N
NTSB Number LAX97FA259
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model J3C-85
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-85
Aircraft Serial Number 22537
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 25 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 4191
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID ZARITSKY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3167
Aircraft Owner City BULLHEAD CITY
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86430
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --