- Date
- May 12, 2022, 19:45 local (May 13, 2022, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Port Bolivar, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N35257Piper J3F-65
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 105079
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 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
During takeoff from the turf runway in calm wind conditions, the pilot lost directional control. The airplane’s right wing impacted some bamboo, the airplane spun to the right, and impacted the terrain in a slight nose low attitude. The airplane came to rest upright and sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35257
- Reported as
- Piper J3F-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6253
- Built
- 1941
- Engine
- Continental C65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 2021
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- XS77 · Seafood Warehouse Park, runway 30, 2,200 × 75 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 18, 2021
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,956 total · 45 in this make and model · 711 as pilot in command · 139 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days · 2.4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KGLS, 17 nm away
- METAR
- KGLS 130052Z AUTO 17009KT 10SM CLR 27/20 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP149 T02670200
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.8 MB in all.