Casualties unknown

Pitch-Up and Stall During Low-Altitude Flight Over Residence (N23375)

Monte Vista, CO, US

On December 12, 2004, a Piper J3C-65 (registration N23375) was involved in an aviation accident near Monte Vista, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall during low level flight. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

While flying over his parents' house at 500 feet, the airplane pitched up, stalled, and descended. It impacted the ground nose-down after a brief pullout attempt, sustaining substantial damage.

Flight Details

The pilot was flying over his parents' house at approximately 500 feet above ground level (AGL).

Witness Observations

Several witnesses observed the airplane pitch up. One witness reported that the airplane "stalled off to the left wing." Following the stall, the airplane nosed over and spiraled downward. Another witness stated that at approximately 50 feet AGL, the airplane appeared to "pull out"; however, the airplane subsequently impacted the ground in a 45-degree nose-down attitude.

Impact and Damage

After the initial impact, the airplane bounced and came to rest approximately 130 feet from the point of first impact. The airplane sustained substantial damage.

Post-Accident Examination

A post-accident examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20041213X01973. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.