- Date
- April 23, 1995, 11:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place
- Elk Creek, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N26991Piper J-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950423013159A
- Case key
- 9874
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 clearance with the trees. Factors in the accident include the trees, the tailwind condition, and the pilot's lack of proper certification.
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 pilot was attempting to land to the north on a private field. The winds were reported from 160 degrees. After determining that the airplane's airspeed was too excessive to land on the field, the non-certificated pilot decided to perform a go around. The pilot stated the excessive airspeed was caused by his trying to land with a tailwind. While climbing, the airplane's right wing impacted trees which were located along the field's edge. The airplane impacted the ground in a near vertical attitude.
Factual narrative
On April 23, 1995, at 1125 central daylight time, a Piper J-3 Cub, N26991, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while the pilot was performing a go around from a field in Elk Creek, Wisconsin. The non-certificated pilot reported no injuries, the passenger reported minor injuries. The local 14 CFR Part 91 pleasure flight operated without flight plan in visual meteorological conditions.
The pilot was attempting to land to the north on a private field. The winds were reported from 160 degrees. After determining that his airplane's airspeed was too excessive to land, the pilot stated he decided to perform a go around. The pilot stated the excessive airspeed was caused by his trying to land with a tailwind. While climbing, the airplane's right wing impacted trees which were located along the field's edge. The airplane impacted the ground in a near vertical attitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26991
- Reported as
- Piper J-3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4285
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8A, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Douglas J. Ward
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 8, 1994
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Private Field, runway 36
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
- 71
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 459 total · 459 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 6 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- 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.