# Accident 20201103021962A: Piper J3C-65, Weslaco, TX, November 3, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 3, 2020, 17:54 local time
- Place: Weslaco, TX
- Airport: Mid Valley Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.1787° N, 97.9740° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1787&lon=-97.9740&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6463H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6463H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J3C-65
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA040) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201103021962A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AFTER TURNING FROM BASE LEG TO THE FINAL APPROACH HE REALIZED THAT HIS AIRPLANE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE AIRPLANE AHEAD OF HIM IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE PILOT DECIDED TO GO-AROUND AND SIDE-STEP TO THE RIGHT OF RUNWAY 14 TO ENSURE SEPARATION FROM THE OTHER AIRPLANE THAT HAD LANDED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MAINTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH

THE OTHER AIRPLANE, KEEPING IT AT HIS 9-10 0?CLOCK POSITION AND SLIGHTLY BELOW HIS POSITION AS HE CONTINUED HIS GO-AROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER HE SHIFTED HIS GAZE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS AIRPLANE, TO ASSESS IF THERE WERE ANY ADDITIONAL IMPEDIMENTS TO HIS FLIGHT PATH, THE OTHER AIRPLANE ?MADE AN APPARENT RIGHT TURN? AND COLLIDED WITH HIS AIRPLANE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE AND IT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND INTERMINGLED WITH THE OTHER

AIRPLANE.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N87715, Piper J3C-65: [Accident 20201103021802A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201103021802A)

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN21LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA040), Nov 3, 2020: Piper J3C (N6463H), Weslaco, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.