On July 20, 1997, a Piper J3C-65 (registration N98879) operated by Jett Riley was involved in an aviation accident near Leesburg, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's inadvertent entry into a secondary stall and spin, as engine power faltered during application of power, while recovering from an intentional stall. The hesitation (faltering) of power and the pilot's diverted attention were related factors. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a stall demonstration to his son, a pilot recovered from the first stall but during a second stall the engine failed to return to full power, leading to a spin and water impact.
Incident Overview
A pilot was conducting stall demonstrations for his son. The first stall was executed and recovered without incident, with the pilot climbing to 2000 feet afterwards. He then initiated a second stall over a lake area.
Engine Power Loss and Spin
During the recovery from the second stall, the pilot reported that the engine failed to return to full power as he advanced the throttle. The airplane subsequently entered a spin. As the pilot attempted to recover from the spin, the right wing tip struck the water surface.
Post-Impact Sequence
Following the wing tip contact with the water, the airplane cartwheeled and sank. No further details about the occupants or aircraft condition were provided in the source.
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