NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW92FA165
Registry · N3128M
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
PIPER J3C-65
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19520809
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A351BB
Registrant of record
ZAHLER MITCHELL J
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
FAILURE OF THE LEFT ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY DUE TO CORROSION.
Factual narrative
THE ENGINE HAD JUST COMPLETED MAJOR WORK AND THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN RELEASED FOR AN ENGINE GROUND TEST RUN; THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN RETURNED TO SERVICE OR RELEASED FOR FLIGHT. APRX 1 MINUTE AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT REPORTED HE NEEDED TO RETURN FOR LANDING, AND WAS CLEARED FOR RIGHT TRAFFIC RWY 33. ABOUT 2 MIN LATER THE PILOT REQUESTED TO TURN BASE LEG, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ROLL OVER AND IMPACT INVERTED. THE LEFT ELEVATOR HORIZONTAL TUBE WHICH EXTENDS OUTBOARD FROM THE BELLCRANK HAD FAILED. CORROSION PARTICLES WERE REMOVED FROM INSIDE THE TUBE. TUBE THICKNESS OUTBOARD OF THE CORROSION AREA MEASURED 0.035 INCH. THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS DUE AND SCHEDULED FOR THE ANNUAL INSPECTION PRIOR TO RELEASING THE AIRPLANE FOR FLIGHT TESTING. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1992_FTW92FA165.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗