- Date
- August 3, 2000, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- New Smyrna Bch., FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2143MPiper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000803005749A
- Case key
- 49892
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 control of the airplane during the landing roll. Factors in this accident were; a crosswind, and the pilot lack of experience in this kind of aircraft.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to a witness, an FAA inspector, '...the pilot lost directional control during landing roll out resulting in taking out a runway light and a ground loop. The landing runway was 18, and the wind was out of the east estimated at 10 knots.' The pilot reported that he had a total of 219.3 flight hours in all aircraft, and 7.7 total flight hours in this make and model.
Factual narrative
On August 3, 2000, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N2143M, registered to Aerial Sign Co. Inc., impacted with a runway light while landing at Massey Ranch Airpark, New Smyrna Beach Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 banner towing business flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport at 1330.
A witness to the accident, an FAA inspector, who was at the airport at the time of the accident, he said the airplane landed in a direct crosswind, struck a runway light, ground looped, and ended up on one of the airplane's wings.
According to the FAA's report, "...the pilot lost directional control during landing roll out resulting in taking out a runway light and a ground loop. The landing runway was 18, and the wind was out of the east estimated at 10 knots."
The pilot reported that he had a total of 219.3 flight hours in all aircraft, and 7.7 total flight hours in this make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2143M
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20928
- Airframe hours
- 5,377
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aerial Sign Co. Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 4, 2000 · 39 hours before
- Departed
- X50
- Airport
- X50 · Massey Ranch Airpark, runway 18, 3,845 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 20
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 219 total · 8 in this make and model · 182 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAB, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2143M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.