- Date
- June 17, 2011, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Shepard, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3504KPiper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20110617014959A
- Case key
- 80828
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 loss of aircraft control after encountering windshear and turbulence on takeoff.
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
The pilot departed to practice touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. He said the sky was clear and the wind was blowing directly down the runway about 5 to 10 knots during the takeoff roll. When the airplane reached an altitude of 50 feet, the pilot encountered turbulent updrafts and downdrafts, which caused him to have a difficult time controlling the airplane. He tried to abort the take off, but the airplane encountered an updraft and was turned almost 90 degrees to the right, and was pushed over a heavily wooded area adjacent to the runway. The airplane stalled and collided with trees in a near vertical nose down attitude causing substantial damage to the wings and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot departed in his single-engine airplane to practice touch and go landings. He said the sky was clear and the wind was blowing directly down the runway about 5 to 10 knots during the takeoff roll. When the airplane reached an altitude of 50 feet, the pilot encountered turbulent updrafts and downdrafts, which caused him to have a difficult time controlling the airplane. He tried to abort the take off but the airplane encountered an updraft and was turned almost 90 degrees to the right and was pushed over a heavily wooded area adjacent to the runway. The right wing stalled and the airplane collided with trees in a near vertical nose down attitude causing substantial damage to the wings and vertical stabilizer. Winds reported at an airport eight miles away were 160 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 20 knots. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3504K
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22194
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C75 SERIES, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- HOP Props LLC
- Registered owner
- HOP Props LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- XS99 · Shepard, TX
- Destination
- XS99 · Shepard, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- XS99 · Lake Water Wheels, runway 11
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
- 49
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 2,115 total · 21 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 14 knots, gusting 20
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 756 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.