- Date
- May 15, 2007, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Byron, GA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N33116Piper J3-C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA ATL FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070515008719A
- Case key
- 65787
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 pilots failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff.
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
The pilot attempted a "soft field" take-off with the nose up and tail down to gave him limited visibility over the nose of the airplane. He stated that a left quartering tailwind caused the airplane to drift to the right into a fence on the right side of the runway.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated he departed Houston County airport at about 08:45 EDT and landed at Seaborn Smith's Airport (GE27) at about 09:15. There was about a 5 to 7 knot wind from the southeast. Both runways are grass and both are East - West. I headed upwind to the East and spent a few minutes before departing GE27. I attempted a "soft field" take-off with a nose up - Tail down. This gave me limited visibility over the nose of the airplane. The left quartering tailwind caused me to drift to the right into a fence on the right side of the runway. The accident occurred about 09:30 EDT.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33116
- Reported as
- Piper J3-C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5834
- Airframe hours
- 2,626
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeff S. Pierce, Jr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2006 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- 5A2 · Houston County, GA
- Destination
- GE27 · Byron, GA
- Airport
- GE27 · Seaborn Smith, runway 27, 2,800 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 75
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2005
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,175 total · 113 in this make and model · 1,175 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- MCN, 7 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 N33116 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.