- Date
- April 13, 2012, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Plantation Key, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N75487Piper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 7, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120413007239A
- Case key
- 83387
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 adequate control of the airplane and ensure clearance from 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 stated that during the initial climb, the airplane lost lift and began to descend due to turbulence. The pilot turned back to the runway to land, but the airplane subsequently impacted trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing spars and fuselage. A postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical failures or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he stated that during the initial climb, the airplane lost lift and began to descend due to turbulence. The pilot initiated a turn back to the runway in order to land, and subsequently impacted trees resulting in substantial damage. Weather at the time of the accident consisted of visual meteorological conditions with 7 knot winds. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not find any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75487
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17648
- Airframe hours
- 4,929
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tavern Cub Club LLC
- Registered owner
- Tavern Cub Club LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2012
- Departed
- FA81 · Plantation Key, FL
- Destination
- FA81 · Plantation Key, FL
- Airport
- FA81 · Tavernaero Park Airport
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 27, 2012
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,883 total · 400 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- HST, 29 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 7, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB 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.