- Date
- July 8, 2009, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- South Charleston, WV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N88025Piper J3C
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 74239
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 control during the attempted go-around.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot was conducting takeoffs and landings while remaining in the airport traffic pattern. On the third attempted landing to runway 33, he was "blinded" by the setting sun during the landing flare. The airplane touched down on its left main landing gear and "bounced high." The pilot then attempted a go-around, but stalled and impacted trees to the side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the engine firewall. Neither the pilot nor a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, reported any aircraft malfunctions or mechanical anomalies. The nearest weather reporting facility, located approximately 8 miles northeast of the accident location, reported winds from 030 degrees at 3 knots at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot was conducting takeoffs and landings while remaining in the airport traffic pattern. On the third attempted landing to runway 33, he was "blinded" by the setting sun during the landing flare. The airplane touched down on its left main landing gear and "bounced high." The pilot then attempted a go-around, but stalled and impacted trees to the side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the engine firewall. Neither the pilot nor a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, reported any aircraft malfunctions or mechanical anomalies. The nearest weather reporting facility, located approximately 8 miles northeast of the accident location, reported winds from 030 degrees at 3 knots at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88025
- Reported as
- Piper J3C (65)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15645
- Airframe hours
- 2,475
- Engine
- Continental A&C65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 5, 2008
- Departed
- WV12 · South Charleston, WV
- Destination
- WV12 · South Charleston, WV
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- WV12 · Mallory Airport, runway 33, 1,907 × 24 ft, asphalt
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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- CRW, 8 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 843 KB in all.