What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 3, 2014, at approximately 210 pm local time, N6245H, a Piper J3C-65, while on a VFR flight, was damaged after flipping upside down during taxi, at mettel field in Connersville, Indiana.
The sole occupant, an ATP rated pilot, received no injuries. The aircraft is registered to privacy data omitted and was operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal aviation regulations part 91. Visual meteorlogical conditions prevailed.
The pilot received an AWOS weather report prior to landing which stated the winds were 270-290 at 18 knots with gusts at 24 knots. Noaa hourly observation tables for shelbyville, 50 miles west, show the winds were 290 at 16 knots with 27 knot gusts. Noaa observation tables show from 0900 until the time of the accident, the wind conditions in Indiana were 270-290, 16-21 knots with 22-29 knot gusts. No flight plan was filed or required.
The pilot landed without incident and during taxi he was unable to keep the up-wind wing down using cross wind techniques of the flight control surfaces. The aircraft left wing rose up and continued rotation until the aircraft was upside down pointed into the wind.
The estimated gross weight of the aircraft at the time of the accident was 983 lbs. Empty weight of aircraft is 783 lbs. The maximum aircraft weight is 1200 lbs.
Aircraft damage was: a loss of wing dihedral, a bent left forward diagonal down tube (front spar to fuselage frame), a bent left forward lift strut, deformed rudder tubing, a twisted left wing, a damaged propeller, and an engine that experienced sudden stoppage. The aircraft damage is substantial.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 3, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 210 PM LOCAL TIME, N6245H, A PIPER J3C-65, WHILE ON A VFR FLIGHT, WAS DAMAGED AFTER FLIPPING UPSIDE DOWN DURING TAXI, AT METTEL FIELD IN CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA.
THE SOLE OCCUPANT, AN ATP RATED PILOT, RECEIVED NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
THE PILOT RECEIVED AN AWOS WEATHER REPORT PRIOR TO LANDING WHICH STATED THE WINDS WERE 270-290 AT 18 KNOTS WITH GUSTS AT 24 KNOTS. NOAA HOURLY OBSERVATION TABLES FOR SHELBYVILLE, 50 MILES WEST, SHOW THE WINDS WERE 290 AT 16 KNOTS WITH 27 KNOT GUSTS. NOAA OBSERVATION TABLES SHOW FROM 0900 UNTIL THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND CONDITIONS IN INDIANA WERE 270-290, 16-21 KNOTS WITH 22-29 KNOT GUSTS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED OR REQUIRED.
THE PILOT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND DURING TAXI HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE UP-WIND WING DOWN USING CROSS WIND TECHNIQUES OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT WING ROSE UP AND CONTINUED ROTATION UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT WAS UPSIDE DOWN POINTED INTO THE WIND.
THE ESTIMATED GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 983 LBS. EMPTY WEIGHT OF AIRCRAFT IS 783 LBS. THE MAXIMUM AIRCRAFT WEIGHT IS 1200 LBS.
AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS: A LOSS OF WING DIHEDRAL, A BENT LEFT FORWARD DIAGONAL DOWN TUBE (FRONT SPAR TO FUSELAGE FRAME), A BENT LEFT FORWARD LIFT STRUT, DEFORMED RUDDER TUBING, A TWISTED LEFT WING, A DAMAGED PROPELLER, AND AN ENGINE THAT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN STOPPAGE. THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE IS SUBSTANTIAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.