# NTSB NYC01LA208: Piper J3C-65, N6153H, Gasport, NY, August 11, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 11, 2001, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Gasport, NY - Coordinates: 43.189964, -78.569496 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1900&lon=-78.5695&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-23 - NTSB case key (mKey): 53001 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC01LA208 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53001/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA208 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to obtain a proper climb airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with a hangar. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - airspeed - not obtained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - hangar/airport building ## Analysis The wind was reported as calm at an airport about 15 miles away from the departure airport. The pilot stated that at the departure airport, the windsock indicated winds from the west at 5 to 10 knots. He departed on runway 27, a 1,650-foot long, 50-foot wide, grass runway. The pilot further stated that during the initial climb, the airplane encountered light turbulence while climbing above the tree line. The airplane did not seem to climb as it normally would have. The pilot avoided the first hangar at the end of the runway by making a shallow turn to the left, but he could not avoid the second hangar. The airplane struck the second hangar and came to rest on the roof. The pilot added that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The second hangar was located about 75 to 100 left of the runway centerline, and set back from the first hangar that the pilot initially avoided. The second hangar was approximately 12 feet high and 50 feet wide, with a flat roof. The airplane was resting about 30 degrees nose down, into the roof of the hangar, and oriented to a heading of about 180 degrees. The engine and cockpit area forward of the wings had protruded through the hangar roof. The underside of the fuselage was buckled, but there was no apparent structural damage to the wings. Aside from the impact on the hangar roof, the airplane did not collide with any other structures. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that runway 27 was maintained, and the grass was recently mowed. He added that, the airplane was within the weight and balance limitations during the takeoff. ## Factual narrative On August 11, 2001, about 1745 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N6153H, was substantially damaged during takeoff from Royalton Airport (9G5), Gasport, New York. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured, and the passenger suffered minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated that the windsock indicated winds from the west at 5 to 10 knots. He departed on runway 27, a 1,650-foot long, 50-foot wide, grass runway. The pilot further stated, "During the initial climb the aircraft encountered light turbulence while climbing above the height of the tree line next to the runway. The aircraft did not seem to climb as it normally would have. I avoided the first hangar at the end of the runway by making a shallow turn to the left, but I could not avoid the second hangar. The aircraft struck the second hangar where it came to rest on the roof." The pilot added that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The passenger stated that she did not recall the crash. She remembered the pilot screaming just before the impact, and then remembered trying to get out of the airplane. The airplane came to rest on the roof of a hangar that was located about 75 to 100 left of the runway centerline, and set back from the hangar that the pilot initially avoided. The damaged hangar was approximately 12 feet high and 50 feet wide, with a flat roof that sloped rearward. The airplane was resting about 30 degrees nose down, into the roof of the hangar, and oriented to a heading of about 180 degrees. The engine and cockpit area forward of the wings had protruded through the hangar roof. The underside of the fuselage was buckled, but there was no apparent structural damage to the wings. Aside from the impact on the hangar roof, the airplane did not collide with any other structures. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that runway 27 was maintained, and the grass was recently mowed. Additionally, the airplane was within the weight and balance limitations during the takeoff. The reported weather at an airport approximately 15 miles southwest of the accident site, at 1754, was: wind calm; visibility 10 miles; scattered clouds at 5,000 feet; temperature 81 degrees F; dew point 61 degrees F; altimeter 30.04 inches Hg. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6153H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6153H), registered now, S/N 19319, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper J3C-65 - Registry model: [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (registry code 7100510) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 19319 - Airframe hours: 2298 - Engines: Continental A-65-8F 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ralph Korff - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 26, 2001, 5 hours before - Departed: 9G5, Gasport, NY - Airport: 9G5, Royalton Airport, runway 27, 1,650 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 18, 2001; seat: rear; flight hours: 1,722 total, 520 in this make and model, 1,385 as pilot in command, 164 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: BUF, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010811028549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010811028549A), Aug 11, 2001: Piper J3C65, Gasport, NY, No damage. (-23) On Saturday, August 11, 2001, Piper J3C65, NC6153H, while operated by michael j. korff, departed runway 27, a 1650' long grass runway at the Royalton… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.