# Accident 20000820011219A: Piper J3C65, St Petersburg, FL, August 20, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 20, 2000, 11:12 local time - Place: St Petersburg, FL - Airport: Albert Whitted Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 27.7700° N, 82.6295° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7700&lon=-82.6295&mi=10 - Aircraft: N70673, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N70673) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3C65 - Reported engine: LYC O320A2B - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 952 total, 249 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA243) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000820011219A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) UPON LANDING A/C NOSED OVER STRIKING PROPELLOR ON RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST INVERTED ON RUNWAY. (.4)ON AUGUST 20, 2000, AT ABOUT 1112 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J3C-65, N7073, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 BANNER TOW FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED AN ON-GROUND LOSS OF CONTROL ON LANDING AT ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT (SPG), ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, AND NOSED OVER INVERTED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SPG ABOUT 1 HOUR 12 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE ENTERED A LEFT BASE FOR THE SOD AREA LOCATED ADJACENT TO RUNWAY 36 TO DROP OFF HIS BANNER. HE COMPLETED THE BANNER DROP AND SIDE STEPPED TO THE LEFT AND MADE A WHEEL LANDING TO RUNWAY 36. THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE CAME UP; HE APPLIED A LITTLE THROTTLE, AFT STICK, AND HIS BODY WEIGHT SHIFTED FORWARD. HE INADVERTENTLY APPLIED BRAKES, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE OVER OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE FROM THE FRONT SEAT. REVIEW OF FEDERAL AVIAT ION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AIRCRAFT SPECIFICATION NO. A-691 STATES THAT THE MODEL J3C AIRPLANE IS PLACARD STATING, "SOLO FLYING IN REAR SEAT ONLY." ## 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 MIA00LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA243), Aug 20, 2000: Piper J3-C65 (N70673), St. Petersburg, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper judgment not to sit in the pilot's seat (rear seat) and improper use of brakes on landing roll resulting in a loss of directional control and subsequent nose over. ## Other reports on N70673 (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20040828025589I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040828025589I), Aug 28, 2004: Piper J3C65 (N70673), Shell Key, FL, Minor damage. (-23) On August 18, 2004, at 1520 local time, a J3C-65, N70673, registered to thomas w. merrifield, had engine trouble and landed on Shell Key, Florida while… - [Incident 19910824048879I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910824048879I), Aug 24, 1991: Piper J3C65 (N70673), St Petersburg, FL, Minor damage. Pilot stated as he turned onto taxiway a gust lifted tail and propeller struck ground. Wind was gusting at time. - [Accident 19850112000679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850112000679A), Jan 12, 1985: Piper J3C65 (N70673), St Petersburg, FL, Substantial damage. Landed, turned off on taxiway. Aircraft struck an airplane tied down on the north side of the taxiway. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.