- Date
- February 28, 2021, 16:05 local (21:05 UTC)
- Place
- Panacea, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- NC7014HPiper J3C
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 102684
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 airspeed and exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during short final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude.
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
A witness, who was also a pilot, reported that he observed the accident airplane on short final approach. The airplane was in a crab attitude due to a gusting crosswind and the witness heard the engine power increase several times. As the airplane neared the runway threshold, it drifted right of runway centerline and slowed, followed by an aerodynamic stall about 100 ft above ground level and descent nose-down into a grass area about 100 ft prior to the runway threshold. The witness went to the wreckage to assist the pilot and the pilot stated that he lost all control of the airplane. The airport manager subsequently confirmed flight control continuity from the cockpit to all control surfaces. After several requests, the accident pilot failed to complete and return a National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report form.
Aircraft
- Registration
- NC7014H
- Reported as
- Piper J3C (65)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20259
- Engine
- Continental C85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- 2J0 · Wakulla County Airport, runway 18, 2,590 × 70 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 76
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 850 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- TLH, 25 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 15, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 639 KB in all.