What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On March 30, 2002, at 1600 mountain standard time, a Piper J3F-65, N40770, failed to gain altitude and dragged a wing in the takeoff initial climb from the Parker, Arizona, airport. The airplane subsequently collided with the ground and was destroyed in a ground fire about 300 yards north of the departure end of runway 1. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 of the federal aviation regulations. The airline transport pilot sustained fatal injuries and the one passenger incurred serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area personal flight that was originating at the time of the accident. Five airport workers in the airport office observed the sequence of events. They reported that just after liftoff, the airplane assumed a nose-high stall attitude and began "wallowing" with the wings rocking back and forth. The airplane never attained more than 70 feet off the ground as it flew past the departure end of runway 1, and, while still "wallowing," began a right crosswind turn. The right wingtip contacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled to a stop and then caught fire. The witnesses reported that earlier in the day they had stopped by the pilot's hangar and spoke briefly with him and the passenger. The pilot was described as very proud of the airplane, which he had completely restored to its 1941 factory delivery condition. The workers saw the pilot do a very thorough preflight inspection. According to the witnesses, the pilot used aviation gasoline in the airplane. (-23) on March 30, 2002 a Piper J-3, N40770, serial number 7484, owned and operated by Mr. Richard ray Robinson an ATP certificated pilot, certificate number 1553363, departed the Parker airport in Parker ax. During the takeoff phase, on runway 01, the aircraft lost control and struck the ground with the right wing tip then the nose. Upon impact the aircraft burned. The aircraft was destroyed by impact damage and fire. Mr. Robinson received fatal injuries and his passenger, Mr. Jill ann carlo, received serious injuries with burns over 60% of her body. The weather was VFR at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON MARCH 30, 2002, AT 1600 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER J3F-65, N40770, FAILED TO GAIN ALTITUDE AND DRAGGED A WING IN THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB FROM THE PARKER, ARIZONA, AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND WAS DESTROYED IN A GROUND FIRE ABOUT 300 YARDS NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 1. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES AND THE ONE PASSENGER INCURRED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. FIVE AIRPORT WORKERS IN THE AIRPORT OFFICE OBSERVED THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. THEY REPORTED THAT JUST AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRPLANE ASSUMED A NOSE-HIGH STALL ATTITUDE AND BEGAN "WALLOWING" WITH THE WINGS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. THE AIRPLANE NEVER ATTAINED MORE THAN 70 FEET OFF THE GROUND AS IT FLEW PAST THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 1, AND, WHILE STILL "WALLOWING," BEGAN A RIGHT CROSSWIND TURN. THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED TO A STOP AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT EARLIER IN THE DAY THEY HAD STOPPED BY THE PILOT'S HANGAR AND SPOKE BRIEFLY WITH HIM AND THE PASSENGER. THE PILOT WAS DESCRIBED AS VERY PROUD OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH HE HAD COMPLETELY RESTORED TO ITS 1941 FACTORY DELIVERY CONDITION. THE WORKERS SAW THE PILOT DO A VERY THOROUGH PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES, THE PILOT USED AVIATION GASOLINE IN THE AIRPLANE. (-23) ON MARCH 30, 2002 A PIPER J-3, N40770, SERIAL NUMBER 7484, OWNED AND OPERATED BY MR. RICHARD RAY ROBINSON AN ATP CERTIFICATED PILOT, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 1553363, DEPARTED THE PARKER AIRPORT IN PARKER AX. DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE, ON RUNWAY 01, THE AIRCRAFT LOST CONTROL AND STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE RIGHT WING TIP THEN THE NOSE. UPON IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT BURNED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT DAMAGE AND FIRE. MR. ROBINSON RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND HIS PASSENGER, MR. JILL ANN CARLO, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES WITH BURNS OVER 60% OF HER BODY. THE WEATHER WAS VFR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.