20110719023799A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Waterford, MI · July 19, 2011

Date: July 19, 2011 · 19:00 local
Place: Waterford, MI
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N88000
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN11CA498
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental A&C65 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 13,500 total200 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N88000Registered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 15617 · Built 1946 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.

Prior to the accident take-off, the accident pilot landed on williams lake and let a front seat passenger out of the aircraft then took off again to do some water landings. While maneuvering to perform a full-stop water landing he performed a 180 degree right-hand turn to final at about 300-400'AGL, he applied left rudder and aileron to stop the right turn. The left rudder pedal seemed blocked and wouldn't move. The aircraft then entered a tight right hand spiral and impacted a tree, and then fell to the ground. Investigation discovered that the front seat passenger did not properly secure the seat belt causing the seat belt to become jammed under the left rudder paddle, making it impossible to apply left rudder pedal.

As the FAA filed it

PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT TAKE-OFF, THE ACCIDENT PILOT LANDED ON WILLIAMS LAKE AND LET A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT THEN TOOK OFF AGAIN TO DO SOME WATER LANDINGS. WHILE MANEUVERING TO PERFORM A FULL-STOP WATER LANDING HE PERFORMED A 180 DEGREE RIGHT-HAND TURN TO FINAL AT ABOUT 300-400'AGL, HE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER AND AILERON TO STOP THE RIGHT TURN. THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL SEEMED BLOCKED AND WOULDN'T MOVE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED A TIGHT RIGHT HAND SPIRAL AND IMPACTED A TREE, AND THEN FELL TO THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER DID NOT PROPERLY SECURE THE SEAT BELT CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME JAMMED UNDER THE LEFT RUDDER PADDLE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO APPLY LEFT RUDDER PEDAL.

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 CEN11CA498Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportWilliams Lake, MIA loss of control during approach due to the front seat passenger's belt buckle being wedged between the rear seat,the rudder pedal and floor board.Jul 19, 2011 · Substantial damage