20140916018759A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Ft Gaines, GA · September 16, 2014

Date: September 16, 2014 · 16:25 local
Place: Ft Gaines, GA
Phase of flight: Unknown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N95480
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA14FA455
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental A75-8F
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,700 total

N95480Registration cancelled Mar 15, 2018 · Piper J3C-65S/N 8403 · Built 1942 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 Engine modelContinental A75-8FReciprocating

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.

Pilot and passenger took off from headland airport, al (0J6) enroute to eufaula airport, al (F08). Aircraft was flying in VFR conditions. Aircraft was reported missing on 9/16/14 @ 1658 local. Aircraft was not located until 9/23/14.

Approximately 5 miles south of ft. Gaines, GA. The aircraft was found submerged 15FT in the chattahoochee river. Both the pilot and passenger were still in the aircraft. Aircraft was recovered with assistance from us army corps of engineers and local leo.

The aircraft was found intact, however the both landing gear struts had departed the aircraft, only one was recovered.

During teardown no anomalies were noted with the aircraft, engine or prop.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT AND PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM HEADLAND AIRPORT, AL (0J6) ENROUTE TO EUFAULA AIRPORT, AL (F08). AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING IN VFR CONDITIONS. AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING ON 9/16/14 @ 1658 LOCAL. AIRCRAFT WAS NOT LOCATED UNTIL 9/23/14.

APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF FT. GAINES, GA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND SUBMERGED 15FT IN THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE STILL IN THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND LOCAL LEO.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND INTACT, HOWEVER THE BOTH LANDING GEAR STRUTS HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT, ONLY ONE WAS RECOVERED.

DURING TEARDOWN NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE OR PROP.

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 ERA14FA455Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportFort Gaines, GAThe pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during flight, which resulted in a collision with a river.Sep 16, 2014 · Substantial damage