- Date
- March 2, 2011, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Maysvile, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N23249Piper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110302003119A
- Case key
- 78478
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-rated passenger’s loss of directional control during takeoff and the pilot’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with trees.
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
The pilot-in-command (PIC) of the tailwheel airplane stated that he was flying from his private airstrip, with a friend who was also a pilot. The friend did not have much experience in tailwheel airplanes and had not flown the airplane from the airstrip. The PIC completed two takeoffs and landings uneventfully, and then let his friend perform the third takeoff. During the takeoff roll, as the tailwheel lifted, the airplane yawed to the left. The PIC then took authority of the controls and attempted to correct the yaw. The airplane traveled off the left side of the runway and impacted trees, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The PIC reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane and added that the wind was light and variable at the time. The PIC stated that he should have taken control of the airplane sooner.
Factual narrative
The pilot-in-command (PIC) of the tailwheel airplane stated that he was flying from his private airstrip, with a friend who was also a pilot. The friend did not have much experience in tailwheel airplanes and had not flown the airplane from the airstrip. The PIC was in the front seat and his friend was in the rear seat. The PIC completed two takeoffs and landings uneventfully, and then let his friend perform the third takeoff.. During the takeoff roll, as the tailwheel lifted, the airplane yawed to the left. The PIC then took the controls and attempted to correct the yaw; however, the airplane traveled off the left side of the runway and impacted trees, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The PIC reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane and added that the wind was light and variable at the time. The PIC stated that he should have taken control of the airplane sooner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23249
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3015
- Airframe hours
- 3,717
- Engine
- Cont Motor A65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tommy R McFalls
- Registered owner
- Tommy R McFalls
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 26, 2010 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Maysvile, NC
- Destination
- NONE · Maysvile, NC
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- NONE · Private Airstrip, runway 09, 1,000 × 80 ft, grass/turf
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- February 6, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 1,825 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,287 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- EWN, 12 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 29, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 562 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.