- Date
- April 13, 2009, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Montrose, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N41427Piper J3C
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Salt Lake City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090413003329A
- Case key
- 73653
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, immediately after taking off, the prevailing wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind and he was unable to maintain the aircraft's heading with the runway's centerline. The airplane was blown toward the runway edge and settled onto the dirt beside the runway. During the rollout, the airplane struck a taxiway location/runway holding position sign midway between the passenger compartment and the empennage, resulting in the empennage being bent approximately 70 degrees to the right. Weather reports at the time of the accident indicated that the wind was variable at 5 knots, with 10-mile visibility and clear skies. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. An examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, immediately after lift-off, the prevailing wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind and he was unable to maintain aircraft heading/runway centerline. The airplane was blown toward the runway edge and settled onto the dirt beside the runway. During the roll-out, the airplane struck a taxiway location/runway holding position sign midway between the passenger compartment and the empennage resulting in the empennage being bent approximately 70 degrees to the right. Weather reported at the time of the accident was; wind variable at 5 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 18, dew point minus 4, altimeter setting 30.00 inches. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. An examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41427
- Reported as
- Piper J3C (65)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8043
- Airframe hours
- 3,627
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 8, 2009
- Departed
- KMTJ · Montrose, CO
- Destination
- SBS · Steamboat Sprin, CO
- Airport
- KMTJ · Montrose Regional Airport, runway 13, 7,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 22, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 278 total · 98 in this make and model · 216 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KMTJ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.