- Date
- July 4, 2015, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arcadia, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3274UPiper J3C
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150704012309A
- Case key
- 91569
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 the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
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 reported that during the landing roll the airplane veered to the right and departed the runway. He stated that he over-corrected for the excursion and the airplane veered back to the left crossing the runway, and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll the airplane veered to the right and departed the runway. He stated that he over-corrected for the excursion and the airplane veered back to the left crossing the runway, and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3274U
- Reported as
- Piper J3C (65)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6735
- Built
- 1941
- Airframe hours
- 35
- Engine
- Cont Motor C-85-8F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- George A. Pertuit
- Registered owner
- George A. Pertuit
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2014
- Departed
- PGD · Punta Gorda, FL
- Destination
- X06 · Arcadia, FL
- Airport
- X06 · Arcadia Muni, runway 06, 3,700 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- February 14, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 172 total · 27 in this make and model · 135 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- PGD, 19 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.