- Date
- May 3, 2014, 15:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Connersville, IN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N6245HPiper J3C 65
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20140503006539A
- Case key
- 89179
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 inability to control the airplane while taxiing due to a strong crosswind condition.
Findings · 3
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 reported that he decided to land at an en route airport to obtain fuel due to a stronger headwind than what was forecast for his route of flight. The pilot made a normal landing to the north and turned west off the runway onto the first taxi. He then made another turn to the north on the taxiway that paralleled the runway. As he taxied beyond a row of trees that were to the west, the upwind wing of the airplane lifted and the airplane flipped inverted. The rudder and left front wing strut were substantially damaged. The pilot stated he was using proper crosswind taxi technique, but was unable to keep the wing down. The wind conditions recorded at an airport located 37 miles away from the airport where the accident occurred were from 290 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 25 knots. The pilot reported the local wind condition at the time of the accident was similar.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he decided to land at an en route airport to obtain fuel due to a stronger headwind than what was forecast for his route of flight. The pilot made a normal landing to the north and turned west off the runway onto the first taxi. He then made another turn to the north on the taxiway that paralleled the runway. As he taxied beyond a row of trees that were to the west, the upwind wing of the airplane lifted and the airplane flipped inverted. The rudder and left front wing strut were substantially damaged. The pilot stated he was using proper crosswind taxi technique, but was unable to keep the wing down. The wind conditions recorded at an airport located 37 miles away from the airport where the accident occurred were from 290 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 25 knots. The pilot reported the local wind condition at the time of the accident was similar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6245H
- Reported as
- Piper J3C 65 (65)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19419
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,467
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Lewis Arenzana
- Registered owner
- Duncan Richard N
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 2013 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- CDI · Cambridge, OH
- Destination
- CEV · Connersville, IN
- Airport
- CEV · Mettel Field Airport, runway 36, 6,503 × 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
- 40
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 8,230 total · 44 in this make and model · 3,478 as pilot in command · 118 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- GEZ, 37 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB 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.