- Date
- June 10, 2008, 08:57 local (12:57 UTC)
- Place
- Fayetteville, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N35702Piper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080610838569A
- Case key
- 68198
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 climbout. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's relinquish of control to a non-certificated pilot.
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 stated he was conducting a personal flight with his friend. He allowed his friend, a non-certificated pilot, to control the airplane on takeoff. At lift-off the passenger lost control of airplane and it veered to the right. The pilot took control of the airplane, but was unable to regain control of the airplane. The airplane collided with a tree about 100 feet to the right of the end of the runway. The pilot did not report any flight control or mechanical anomalies prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a Piper J3C-65 stated he was conducting a personal flight with his friend. He allowed his friend, a non-certificated pilot, to control the airplane on takeoff. At lift-off the passenger lost control of airplane and it veered to the right. The pilot took control of the airplane, but was unable to maintain control of the airplane. The airplane collided with a tree about 100 feet to the right of the end of the runway. The pilot did not report any flight control or mechanical anomalies prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35702
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6543
- Airframe hours
- 1,605.7
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William AMclendon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2008 · 2.1 hours before
- Departed
- GA94 · Fayetteville, GA
- Destination
- GA94 · Fayetteville, GA
- Airport
- GA94 · Mc Lendon, runway N, 1,433 × 75 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
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 22,445 total · 282 in this make and model · 18,282 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- FFC, 9 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.