Blairsville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blairsville, Georgia 30512
Sunday, March 31, 1985 16:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS STUDENT PLT PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING THE A/P WHEN THE PLT MADE A SHARP TURN DOWNWIND AT ABOUT 100 FT OF ALT. THE A/C MASHED INTO THE GROUND BOUNCED AND LANDED IN SMALL TREES. THE NEAREST REPORTED WINDS WERE RECORDED AT 19 KTS. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND AT ABOUT 10 KTS. THE FBO REPORTED A 20-30 FT KNOLL UP WIND OF THE IMPACT POINT OF THE J-3.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BLAIRSVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30512
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BLAIRSVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 46A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1911
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 58
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 19
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 782
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28004
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N98760
NTSB Number ATL85LA125
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model J-3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J-3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 18991
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 1 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2212
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN S. LOWE
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 1043
Aircraft Owner City SARASOTA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33577
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES A. SZCZEPANSKI
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 120 E. HILL STREET
Operator City MURPHY
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28906
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 46A
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1650
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 6A3
Destination City ANDREWS-MURPHY
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --