20250912021679I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper J3C-65 · Springfield, MO · September 12, 2025

Date
September 12, 2025 · 09:30 local
Place
Springfield, MO
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N3487K
Reported as
Piper J3C-65
Reported engine
Continental 0-200 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor

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.

Aircraft experienced prop strike while attempting to take off from an "off airfield" pasture. Pilot statement below:

The engine started easy, and a run up was performed after engine temperature and pressure obtained and stabilized. A fast taxi along the intended takeoff path was initiated and returned to the takeoff position best aligned with wind and intended takeoff portion of the field. Normal acceleration occurred. The aircraft bounced once on the takeoff run and the propeller tip contacted the ground and the aircraft subsequently nosed over. Back control pressure was applied and the aircraft settled on all three wheels. Immediate engine shutdown/secure items (master, mixture and magnito) were performed and the shutdown/secure checklist was completed. There were no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED PROP STRIKE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM AN "OFF AIRFIELD" PASTURE. PILOT STATEMENT BELOW:

THE ENGINE STARTED EASY, AND A RUN UP WAS PERFORMED AFTER ENGINE TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE OBTAINED AND STABILIZED. A FAST TAXI ALONG THE INTENDED TAKEOFF PATH WAS INITIATED AND RETURNED TO THE TAKEOFF POSITION BEST ALIGNED WITH WIND AND INTENDED TAKEOFF PORTION OF THE FIELD. NORMAL ACCELERATION OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ONCE ON THE TAKEOFF RUN AND THE PROPELLER TIP CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER. BACK CONTROL PRESSURE WAS APPLIED AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ON ALL THREE WHEELS. IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN/SECURE ITEMS (MASTER, MIXTURE AND MAGNITO) WERE PERFORMED AND THE SHUTDOWN/SECURE CHECKLIST WAS COMPLETED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.