# Accident 20020322022399A: Piper PA12, Terrell, TX, March 22, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 22, 2002, 15:30 local time
- Place: Terrell, TX
- Airport: Terrell Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.7100° N, 96.2675° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7100&lon=-96.2675&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3687M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3687M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA12
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA100) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020322022399A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ACTUAL REGISTRATION NUMBER IS NC3687M. OWNER CFR/ATP COMPLETED BFR FOR PIC, THIS FLIGHT WAS FOR TAIL-WHEEL ENDORSEMENT. ON APPROACH TO RWY 35 AIRCRAFT CLIPPED TOPS OF TREES 400 FT FROM RWY. BOTH PILOTS REACTED BY PULLING STICK BACK AS AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING STRUCK TREE, SUBSEQUENT STALL RESULTING IN IMPACT OF LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE WITH TERRAIN FACING AWAY FROM RUNWAY. BOTH PILOTS SUSTAINED MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES. PROPELLER SHOWS ROTATIONAL ENERGY ON ONE BLADE BENT FORWARD 30 DEG WITH QUARTER SIZE NOTCH OUT OF LEADING EDGE AT 18 IN STATION. FUEL WAS OBSERVED LEAKING OUT OF RUPTURED WING TANK DURING EVACUATION, AND LATER BY FIRE DEPT. ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING FUEL WAS STILL OBSERVED LEAKING AT CRASH SITE BY TEXAS DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER WHO IS ALSO A PILOT AND A&P MECHANIC. DURING INTERVIEW WITH CFI BY FAA INSPECTOR, HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT TELL THEY WERE TOO LOW UNTIL TREE LIMBS WERE HEARD AND FELT AGAINST THE FUSELAGE. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE END OF THE RWY OR INSTRUMENTS OVER THE PIC BACK. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE PIC BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROXIMITY OF THE TREES ON APPROACH UNTIL HE HEARD THEM AGAINST THE FUSELAGE.

## 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 FTW02LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA100), Mar 22, 2002: Piper PA-12 (N3687M), Terrell, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor resulting in the dual student's failure to maintain the proper glidepath during the short field approach. A contributing factor was the downdraft.

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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