20110302003119A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Maysville, NC · March 2, 2011

Date: March 2, 2011 · 14:18 local
Place: Maysville, NC
Airport: Private Airfield
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N23249
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA11CA174
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental A&C65 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,000 total1,835 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N23249Registered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 3015 · Built 1939 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 Engine modelContinental A&C65 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.

Piper J-3 cub N23249 took off, with two male pilots, approximately 200 pounds each, on board. The only fuel tank was nearly full. The takeoff commenced on the private grass strip where the aircraft was based. On the takeoff roll, the aircraft traveled down the runway arcing toward the left margin of the runway. The rear seat pilot, who did not have a tail-wheel endorsement, was controlling the aircraft. The rear seat/flying pilot pulled the aircraft off the ground, gained a small amount of altitude, and flew off to the left side of the runway. At this point,the front seat pilot and PIC took over the flight controls and flew down the left margin of the runway just clearing the top of the windsock pole. The aircraft descended through the top of a cherry tree at the departure end of the runway. The aircraft broke several of the tree's limbs, impacted the ground, destroying its main landing gear, and slid on its belly to the edge of the wooded area at the departure end of the runway.

As the FAA filed it

PIPER J-3 CUB N23249 TOOK OFF, WITH TWO MALE PILOTS, APPROXIMATELY 200 POUNDS EACH, ON BOARD. THE ONLY FUEL TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. THE TAKEOFF COMMENCED ON THE PRIVATE GRASS STRIP WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BASED. ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED DOWN THE RUNWAY ARCING TOWARD THE LEFT MARGIN OF THE RUNWAY. THE REAR SEAT PILOT, WHO DID NOT HAVE A TAIL-WHEEL ENDORSEMENT, WAS CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. THE REAR SEAT/FLYING PILOT PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE GROUND, GAINED A SMALL AMOUNT OF ALTITUDE, AND FLEW OFF TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AT THIS POINT,THE FRONT SEAT PILOT AND PIC TOOK OVER THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND FLEW DOWN THE LEFT MARGIN OF THE RUNWAY JUST CLEARING THE TOP OF THE WINDSOCK POLE. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH THE TOP OF A CHERRY TREE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE SEVERAL OF THE TREE'S LIMBS, IMPACTED THE GROUND, DESTROYING ITS MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND SLID ON ITS BELLY TO THE EDGE OF THE WOODED AREA AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

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 ERA11CA174Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportMaysvile, NCThe pilot-rated passenger’s loss of directional control during takeoff and the pilot’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with trees.Mar 2, 2011 · Substantial damage