No fatalities

PIPER J3C-65 accident at Fort Worth, TX, 27 Jul 2024

Fort Worth, TX, United States

On July 27, 2024, a PIPER J3C-65 was involved in an aviation accident near Fort Worth, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s decision to allow a non-rated passenger to manipulate the flight controls during the takeoff which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to allow a non-rated passenger to manipulate the flight controls during the takeoff which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedStudent/instructed pilot