- Date
- February 9, 1996, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Winter Haven, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6666HPiper J-3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960209001579A
- Case key
- 37980
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft after initiating a go-around, which resulted in the right wing contacting the ground. The unfavorable wind condition was a related factor.
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 reported that he landed on runway 22 with a quartering left crosswind at 15 gusting 20 knots. He elected to go around after touching down. However, during the go-around, the aircraft banked to the right, and the right wing contacted the ground. The aircraft then yawed to the right and came to rest off the right side of the runway.
Factual narrative
On February 9, 1996, about 1130 eastern standard time, a Piper J-3, N6666H, registered to Browns Seaplane Base Inc., crashed while landing at the Winter Haven Municipal Airport, Winter Haven, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Winter Haven, the same day, about 1100.
The pilot stated that he planned to make a wheel landing. The aircraft touched down at a slow airspeed and he initiated a go-around. The aircraft's right wing dipped and contacted the ground. The aircraft turned to the right, 270 degrees from runway heading, and came to rest off the right side of the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6666H
- Reported as
- Piper J-3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19871
- Airframe hours
- 3,033
- Engine
- Continental C65, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Browns Seaplane Base Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 22, 1996 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- GIF
- Airport
- GIF · Winter Haven Gilbert, runway 22, 5,006 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 6 in this make and model · 119 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAL, 15 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.