- Date
- February 9, 2008, 18:15 local (Feb 10, 2008, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Shallowater, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N26868Piper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern base: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Lubbock, Texas
- FAA report
- 20080209010329A
- Case key
- 67499
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain a safe clearance from the terrain while manuevering for the landing surface.
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
While maneuvering to final approach for a landing the pilot allowed the left wing of the airplane to contact the ground and subsequently collided with terrain. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was wearing a shoulder restraint and lap belt and was not injured. The pilot reported that the collision was due to pilot error by allowing the airplane to get too low while maneuvering to land. Additionally the pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
While maneuvering to final approach for a landing the pilot allowed the left wing of the airplane to contact the ground and subsequently collided with terrain. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was wearing a shoulder restraint and lap belt and was not injured. The pilot reported that the collision was due to pilot error by allowing the airplane to get too low while maneuvering to land. Additionally the pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26868
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4252
- Airframe hours
- 1,200
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2007
- Departed
- TA67 · Shallowater, TX
- Destination
- Shallowater, TX
- Airport
- TA67 · Biggin Hill Airport, runway 12, 3,000 × 60 ft, dirt
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
- 81
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2007
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 12 in this make and model · 8,000 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KLBB, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N26868 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.