19950423013159A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J3C65 · Elk Creek, WI · April 23, 1995

Date: April 23, 1995 · 11:25 local
Place: Elk Creek, WI
Airport: Private
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N26991
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI95LA133
Reported as: Piper J3C65
Reported engine: Continental A658
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

N26991Registered now · Piper J3C-75S/N 4285 · Built 1940 Airframe modelPiper J3C-75 Engine modelContinental A&C75 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Trying to land in quartering tailwind. Made belated go around. Wing struck trees off edge runway. Vertical impact. (-23) the "pilot" landed in a short field, realized he would not be able to stop and attempted to go around. During the go around the right wing hit a tree, causing the aircraft to descend, hit some metal objects on the ground, turn 180 degrees, and come to a rest nose down.

As the FAA filed it

TRYING TO LAND IN QUARTERING TAILWIND. MADE BELATED GO AROUND. WING STRUCK TREES OFF EDGE RUNWAY. VERTICAL IMPACT. (-23) THE "PILOT" LANDED IN A SHORT FIELD, REALIZED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP AND ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND. DURING THE GO AROUND THE RIGHT WING HIT A TREE, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND, HIT SOME METAL OBJECTS ON THE GROUND, TURN 180 DEGREES, AND COME TO A REST NOSE DOWN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI95LA133Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportElk Creek, WIthe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the trees. Factors in the accident include the trees, the tailwind condition, and the pilot's lack of proper certification.Apr 23, 1995 · Substantial damage