- Date
- May 1, 2024, 16:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Apex, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6872HPiper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- 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
- FAA report
- 20240501004919A
- Case key
- 194227
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 loss of directional control during the landing roll for reasons that could not be determined, due to impact damage sustained to the brake system.
Findings · 1
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 flight instructor reported that after conducting maneuvers in the area for about 30 minutes, he returned to the airport to demonstrate the first landing of the flight. He reported that upon touchdown on the grass runway, the brakes “were not effective” and the airplane veered off the runway to the left into a utility trailer that was parked near the runway. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The private pilot receiving instruction, seated in the rear seat, reported that the approach and landing appeared normal, and the flight instructor completed a 3-point landing. He recalled that the flight instructor was unable to get the airplane to stop, and he believed the brakes were not effective given they had “plenty of runway to stop.” A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and brake system. The left wheel was rotated, and the left brake pedal when actuated, was observed to stop the wheel movement. The right brake pedal was bound and no longer fully functional due to impact related damage. Its actuator plunger was manipulated via a screwdriver, and right wheel movement was stopped, but not with the same amount of force as compared to the functional left brake pedal. The brake system’s fluid was normal. Neither pilot reported any issues with the brakes prior to takeoff. The effectiveness of the brake system could not be determined, due to the damage sustained to the right brake pedal during the impact with the trailer.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6872H
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20089
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,735
- Engine
- Continental Motors A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 26, 2024 · 41 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- NC81 · Cox Airport, runway 27, 2,450 × 75 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2024
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 11,262 total · 20 in this make and model · 9,878 as pilot in command · 56 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 16, 2022
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 521 total · 1 in this make and model · 422 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 9 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KRDU 012051Z VRB04KT 10SM FEW050TCU SCT100 29/14 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP127 TCU SE T02890144 58011 VISNO RWY 23R=
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2024, 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.