PIPER J3C-65 — Adrian, MO

What happened

The pilot’s wife reported that he departed from their private grass runway; she did not know his destination or his expected return time and became concerned when the pilot did not return by dark. The airplane was located the next morning in the middle of a cornfield about 300 yards northwest of the runway.

The airplane came to rest in a nose-low, tail-high attitude. The wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. Flight control continuity was confirmed throughout the airframe. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The orientation of the wreckage was consistent with impact with terrain in an aerodynamic stall.

Based on negative postmortem ethanol testing results in vitreous and urine, the ethanol detected in the pilot’s blood was likely from sources other than ingestion. It is unlikely that ethanol contributed to the accident. Based on negative postmortem opioid testing results in femoral blood, it is unlikely that the pilot’s opioid use contributed to the accident. The pilot had cardiovascular disease, but available evidence is insufficient to determine whether he was impaired or incapacitated by that disease, and whether a medical condition contributed to the accident could not be determined.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.