NYC86FFJ01

NTSB accident investigation · Piper J3C-65 · Bethany, NY · April 20, 1986

Accident · No injuriesFinal report
Date
April 20, 1986, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
Place
Bethany, NY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N88379Piper J3C-65
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19860420015269A
Case key
30207

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Checklist - not followedPilot in commandCause
Elevator trim - not correctedPilot in commandCause
All available runway - not usedPilot in commandCause
Proper climb rate - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Maneuver - performedPilot in commandCause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

The acft crashed on the arpt after a turn of aprx 120 degrees to avoid 60 ft trees at the departure edge of the arpt. The plt had used the grass beside the airstrip because of standing water at places on the rwy. The takeoff run was started about 500 ft from the beginning of the rwy on the hay stubble adjacent to the hangar. Auto fuel was being used without STC authorization. The plt stated that the acft seemed to stop climbing at about 50 ft AGL and he thought he would not be able to clear the trees ahead. During the turn the acft stalled and was landed with throttle still full open according to the plt. The throttle was closed as the plane approached small trees and a hedge row. These trees were hit by the rt wing and the acft swung rt to a stop. The plt said later that he found the elevator trim almost all the way nose down which made him think that the acft would not climb. He said that the 200 lb acft owner had flown the acft on its last flt and since he sat in the rear seat had trimmed the acft nose heavy.

Aircraft

Registration
N88379
Reported as
Piper J3C-65
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15997
Airframe hours
702
Engine
Continental C-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Francis Mckinney
Registered owner
Kenneth Macpherson
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 1, 1985 · 40 hours before
Airport
Bethany Hales Airstrip, runway 27, 2,500 × 50 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
56
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Front
Flight hours
670 total · 200 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
270° at 9 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
50 °F, dew point -0 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.