- Date
- March 30, 2000, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Eureka, SD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N71060Piper J-3C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 51054
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 foreign object (shot gun shell) which jammed the control stick. Factors associated with the accident were the low altitude at which the control stick jammed and the rough terrain which the airplane contacted.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The purpose of the flight was to shoot coyotes for the South Dakota wildlife management program. The pilot began a descending left turn from an altitude of 125 feet above ground level (agl) so his passenger could take a shot at a coyote. At an altitude of about 40 feet agl he attempted to level the airplane, but was unable to pull back on the control stick. The control stick was jammed with the airplane in a nose low, left bank attitude. The pilot applied rudder and pulled the power off prior to the airplane contacting the ground. The airplane impacted the terrain and slid sideways. It contacted a badger hole which resulted in the landing gear collapsing and the left wing contacting the terrain. Inspection of the airplane revealed that a 12 gauge shot gun shell was jammed in the aft control stick preventing it from being moved.
Factual narrative
On March 30, 2000, at 0845 central standard time, a Piper J-3C, N71060, operated by a commercial pilot collided with the terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering at a low altitude. The accident occurred in Eureka, South Dakota. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from a private airstrip in Eureka, South Dakota, at 0730 cst.
The pilot reported that the passenger on board the airplane worked for the State of South Dakota, Game, Fish and Park Service. He reported the purpose of the flight was to shoot coyotes for wildlife management.
The pilot reported he began a descending left turn from an altitude of 125 feet above ground level (agl) so his passenger could take a shot at a coyote. He reported that at an altitude of about 40 feet agl he attempted to level the airplane, but was unable to pull back on the control stick. He reported that the stick was jammed with the airplane in a nose low, left bank attitude. The pilot reported that he applied rudder and pulled the power off prior to the airplane contacting the ground. He reported the airplane impacted the terrain and slid sideways. The airplane contacted a badger hole which resulted in the landing gear collapsing and the left wing contacting the terrain.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed that a 12 gauge shot gun shell was jammed in the aft control stick preventing it from being moved.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N71060
- Reported as
- Piper J-3C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18082
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael D. Harmon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SD16 · Eureka, SD
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,084 total · 697 in this make and model · 172 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg