# Accident 19980613013409A: Piper J3C65, Midland, TX, June 13, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 13, 1998, 14:50 local time
- Place: Midland, TX
- Airport: Skywest Inc Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.8497° N, 102.0097° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8497&lon=-102.0097&mi=10
- Aircraft: N42559, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N42559) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J3C65
- Reported engine: CONT C8512F
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,211 total, 104 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA265) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980613013409A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE ON LANDING AFTER ENCOUNTERING A STRONG CROSSWIND. MIDLAND, TX.                                                    (-23) PILOT INITIATED GO-AROUND DUE TO LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING AS A RESULT OF A WIND SHIFT. AS A/C BECAME AIRBORNE, WIND CAUSED A/C TO TURN PERPENDICULAR TO RUNWAY. A/C STRUCK POWER POLE, CAUSING LEFT WING TO SEPARATED FROM FUSELAGE. A/C CAME TO REST UPRIGHT 488 FT FROM RUNWAY.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (.4)THE COMMERCIAL PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE WHEN THE WIND SHIFTED TO A GUSTY TAILWIND DURING THE LANDING ROLL. WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE EXECUTE A 'NICE WHEEL LANDING ON THE CENTERLINE' OF RUNWAY 16. AFTER ALL 3 WHEELS WERE ON THE GROUND, THE AIRPLANE STARTED DRIFTING TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE. THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL WENT OFF THE PAVEMENT AND AS THE RIGHT WING STARTED TO COME UP, THE PILOT ADVANCED THE ENGINE TO FULL POWER. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE LOOKED BACK AT THE WINDSOCK, HE NOTICED THAT THE WINDS HAD SUDDENLY SHIFTED FROM A QUARTERING HEADWIND, TO A GUSTING QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE AIRPLANE CLEARED THE AIRPORT'S PERIMETER FENCE; HOWEVER, THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A POWER LINE POLE. THE WINDS AT THE MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LOCATED 9 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE NORTHWEST WERE REPORTED FROM 230 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS. IN THE ENCLOSED NTSB FORM 6120.1/2, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 15 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA265), Jun 13, 1998: Piper J3 (N42559), Midland, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadvertent ground loop during the landing roll. A factor was the sudden windshift.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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