- Date
- June 28, 2010, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Thomaston, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N41242Piper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100628052239A
- Case key
- 76493
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 directional control during landing.
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
According to the pilot, after touching down on runway 30 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he “felt a gust of wind hit the airplane from the left, which pushed the tail around to the right.” The pilot also stated that he was not able to correct for the situation quickly enough, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The left main wheel hit a runway light, turning the airplane until its right wing impacted a runway distance remaining sign. The airplane incurred substantial damage to its right wing. An aviation routine weather report for the airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 240 degrees true at 10 knots, with clear skies and unrestricted visibility.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, after touching down on runway 30 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he “felt a gust of wind hit the airplane from the left, which pushed the tail around to the right.” The pilot also stated that he was not able to correct for the situation quickly enough, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The left main wheel hit a runway light, turning the airplane until its right wing impacted a runway distance remaining sign. The airplane incurred substantial damage to its right wing. An aviation routine weather report for the airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 240 degrees true at 10 knots, with clear skies and unrestricted visibility.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41242
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8006
- Airframe hours
- 3,408
- Engine
- Cont Motor A65-8F, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 3, 2010
- Departed
- 8GA9 · Vaughn, GA
- Destination
- OPN · Thomaston, GA
- Airport
- OPN · Thomaston-Upson County Airport, runway 30, 6,350 × 100 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
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2009
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 279 total · 111 in this make and model · 114 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- OPN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 769 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.