20201103021802A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Weslaco, TX · November 3, 2020

Date: November 3, 2020 · 17:54 local
Place: Weslaco, TX
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Midair collision
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N87715
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN21LA040
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental C85 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 95 total40 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N87715Registration cancelled Nov 5, 2022 · Piper J3C-65S/N 15373 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 Engine modelContinental C85 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.

Student pilot took off from runway 14 on his third touch and go. He became focused on the instrumentation and allowed the aircraft to drift to the right (west) of runway 14. Aircraft collided with another aircraft approximately 80 feet AGL. The second aircraft had decided to go around and side step runway 14 due to the first aircraft position on the runway. Neither aircraft had radios.

As the FAA filed it

STUDENT PILOT TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 14 ON HIS THIRD TOUCH AND GO. HE BECAME FOCUSED ON THE INSTRUMENTATION AND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT (WEST) OF RUNWAY 14. AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET AGL. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT HAD DECIDED TO GO AROUND AND SIDE STEP RUNWAY 14 DUE TO THE FIRST AIRCRAFT POSITION ON THE RUNWAY. NEITHER AIRCRAFT HAD RADIOS.

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 CEN21LA040Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportWeslaco, TXThe pilot of N87715 inadvertently allowed his airplane to drift right of the runway during the climb after a touch-and-go landing, and the pilot of N6463H did not maintain adequate separation from the other airplane during his go-around. Contributing to the…Nov 3, 2020 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N6463HPiper J3C-65Accident 20201103021962A · Substantial damage

Other reports on N87715 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19821009066209IDescent · Harlingen, TXAt airshow engine quit and pilot stalled aircraft at an altitude of 15 feet, fuel outlet uncovered due to low fuel.Oct 9, 1982 · Minor damage