# NTSB CHI95LA127: Piper J3C, N6673H, Poplar Grove, IL, April 15, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 15, 1995, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Poplar Grove, IL - Coordinates: 42.360286, -88.81948 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3603&lon=-88.8195&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9869 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95LA127 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9869/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA127 ## Probable cause The student pilot's excessive throttle control and the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student. A factor in the accident was the gusty wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - throttle/power control - excessive, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - Nose over, taxi - to takeoff ## Analysis AFTER LANDING, THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED STUDENT BEGAN TO TURN THE AIRPLANE TO BACK TAXI TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY TO TAKEOFF AGAIN BY ADVANCING THE THROTTLE AND APPLYING THE LEFT BRAKE. AS THE AIRPLANE TURNED PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR ASSISTED THE STUDENT WITH DEPRESSING THE BRAKE BECAUSE SHE WAS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY. THE THROTTLE WAS FORWARD AND AS THE INSTRUCTOR RELEASED THE PRESSURE OFF THE BRAKE, THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL BEGAN TO LIFT OFF THE GROUND. THE INSTRUCTOR PULLED THE THROTTLE TO THE IDLE POSITION, BUT THE TAIL CONTINUED TO RISE. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE WIND GOT UNDER THE TAIL AND CONTINUED TO MAKE IT RISE. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE BECAME INVERTED. ## Factual narrative On April 15, 1995, at 1600 central daylight time, a Piper J-3 Cub, N6673H, registered to Belvidere Aviation Inc., of Popular Grove, Illinois, was substantially damaged while taxiing after landing at Belvidere Ltd Airport, Popular Grove, Illinois. Neither the certified flight instructor nor the commercial certificated student pilot reported injuries. The local 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without flight plan. The instructor stated that after the student pilot made a three point landing on runway 9, she began to turn the airplane to back taxi to the end of the runway to takeoff again by advancing the throttle and applying the left brake. As the airplane turned perpendicular to the runway, the instructor stated that the student had some difficultly "...getting the brake so I depressed it for her until she got it. I then released it." The throttle was still forward, and the airplane's tail began to lift off of the ground. The instructor pulled the throttle to the idle position, but he stated, "it appeared the wind got under the tail and continued to raise it." The propeller struck the ground and the airplane became inverted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6673H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6673H), registered now, S/N 19877 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3C - Registry model: [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (registry code 7100510) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 19877 - Airframe hours: 4512 - Engines: CONTINENTAL C85-12F 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Belvidere Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 5, 1995, 6 hours before - Airport: C77, Belvidere Airport, runway 9, 2,500 × 200 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 443 total, 16 in this make and model, 414 as pilot in command, 79 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 15 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 50 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950415008289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950415008289A), Apr 15, 1995: Piper J3C65, Belvidere, IL, Substantial damage. Turning to back taxi on runway used too much brake. Wind got under tail. Flipped over. Too much wind. Low skill. (-23) aircraft received substantial damage… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.