What happened
On July 25, 2025, at approximately 09:16 Alaska daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, registration N5050R, was involved in an accident near Dillingham, Alaska. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
Following a touch-and-go landing on the gravel surface next to Runway 19 at Dillingham Airport, the aircraft climbed to an altitude of approximately 200 feet. Witnesses reported that the engine suffered a momentary loss of power, which was followed by an engine restart. Subsequently, the aircraft's nose pitched up and the airspeed decreased, leading to a left wing stall. This resulted in an uncontrolled, nose-down, vertical descent. During this descent, the engine reportedly experienced another loss of power.
The aircraft impacted the runway approximately 680 feet northeast of the departure end of Runway 19. The impact left the airplane inverted and caused substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.