# NTSB CHI99LA207: Piper J-3C, N3371N, Independence, IA, July 2, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 2, 1999, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Independence, IA - Coordinates: 42.460884, -91.889739 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4609&lon=-91.8897&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 18, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46694 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI99LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46694/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA207 ## Probable cause The insufficient information from the weather forecast resulting in an in-flight encounter with turbulence/gusts and the subsequent precautionary landing. Contributing factors were the gusty/turbulent conditions and the terrain condition (crop). ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, unknown - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - weather forecast - information insufficient (cause) - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor) - precautionary landing - intentional, pilot in command - Nose down, landing - roll - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot reported she encountered severe turbulence and wind gusts of 40 to 50 knots about 10 miles from her destination airport. She reported it became difficult to control the airplane and she reported she decided to put the airplane on the ground before she lost all control. The pilot reported the weather conditions that existed near the destination airport had not been forecast when she had checked the weather about 2.5 hours prior to the accident. She attempted to land the airplane in an oat field. The airplane was traveling about 30 mph over the ground when the airplane impacted the oat field. The airplane traveled about 10 feet when the airplane went up on its nose and sustained substantial damage. ## Factual narrative On July 2, 1999, at 1400 central daylight time, a Piper J-3C, N3371N, was substantially damaged when it nosed over in an oat field during a precautionary landing. The private pilot reported that she encountered high winds and wind shear and decided to make a precautionary landing to the oat field located four miles northwest of Independence, Iowa. During landing rollout the airplane went up on its nose. The private pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight had departed Hutchinson Municipal Airport, Hutchinson, Minnesota, en route to the Independence Municipal Airport, Independence, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that she encountered severe turbulence and 40 to 50 knots wind gusts about 10 miles from Independence, Iowa. She reported it became difficult to control the airplane. She reported she decided to put the airplane on the ground before she lost all control. The pilot reported the weather conditions that existed near the destination airport had not been forecast when she had checked the weather about 2.5 hours prior to the accident. She reported she attempted to land the airplane in an oat field. She reported the airplane was traveling about 30 mph over the ground when the airplane impacted the oat field. The airplane traveled about 10 feet when the airplane went up on its nose and sustained substantial damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3371N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3371N), registered now, S/N 22571, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper J-3C - 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: 22571 - Airframe hours: 1313 - Engines: Continental C-90-8F 90 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Joseph Dooley - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 16, 1999, 18 hours before - Departed: HCD, HUTCHINSON, MN - Destination: IIB ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 539 total, 200 in this make and model, 487 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 40 knots, gusting 50 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,500 ft overcast ## 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 19990702008169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990702008169A), Jul 2, 1999: Piper J3C65, Independence, IA, Substantial damage. Pilot encountered high wind and windshear and decided to make precautionary landing in OAT field, upon landing the acft flipped over, 1 minor injury. 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.