- Date
- June 30, 2002, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- McConnelsville, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N35545Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO--07
- FAA report
- 20020630038239A
- Case key
- 55093
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 aircraft control while landing. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience.
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
While landing, the airplane began to drift right, and the pilot applied an excessive amount of left rudder input. The pilot then applied the brakes, but the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck uneven terrain. The pilot reported a total flight experience of 57 hours; of which, 3 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot had not flown for 1 year, and then flew about 3 hours within the 24-hour period preceding the accident.
Factual narrative
On June 30, 2002, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N35545, was substantially damaged while landing at Morgan County Airport (I71), McConnelsville, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight departed I71 about 1050.
The pilot reported that he was attempting a touch-and-go on runway 30. After touchdown, the airplane started drifting to the right, and the he corrected with "too much" left rudder pedal input. The pilot also applied light braking. The airplane then started a left turn, and the pilot was unable to correct the turn. He then applied more braking, but the airplane traveled off the left side of the runway. It struck a runway light, traveled over rough terrain, and came to rest inverted.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to the center wing spar. The examination did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
The pilot reported a total flight experience of 57 hours; of which, 3 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot added that he had not flown during the previous year, except for 2 hours the day prior to the accident, and 1 hour on the day of the accident.
The reported wind at an airport approximately 17 miles away, at 1053, was from 180 degrees at 3 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35545
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6450
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gregory J. Griffin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- I71 · McConnelsville, OH
- Destination
- I71
- Airport
- I71 · Morgan County Airport, runway 30, 3,500 × 35 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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- June 27, 2000
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 57 total · 3 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- ZZV, 17 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 30, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 876 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.