- Date
- September 3, 1995, 18:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Boothbay Harbor, ME
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N98503Piper J-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 21, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950903027849A
- Case key
- 39047
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 misjudgment of distance and altitude, while on final approach to land. Factors relating to the accident were: sunglare, and the pilot's lack of visual cues (visual perception).
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 on final approach over water, the pilot was momentarily blinded by the glare of the sun, and its reflection from the water. The airplane descended and struck a berm about 4 feet high, about 200 feet from the approach end of the runway. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane touched down on the runway, nosed over, and came to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On September 3, 1995, at 1820 eastern daylight time, a Piper J-3, N98503, struck a berm while on final approach to a private airport in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The airplane received substantial damage, and the private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight which originated at Wiscassett, Maine, at 1805, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated:
...Approached the field over the water toward the west for my usual uphill landing. Airspeed 40 MPH set for landing. Less than 200 feet from the beginning of field, I was totally blinded by the sun...Landing gear hit bank (at beginning of airstrip) and plane nosed into the field, flipping plane onto its back....
The FAA Inspector reported that the airplane struck a bank about 4 feet high, and the landing gear collapsed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98503
- Reported as
- Piper J-3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18707
- Airframe hours
- 2,336
- Engine
- Continental C-90-8F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John F. Andrews
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 28, 1995 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- 9B9 · Wiscassett, ME
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Dover Roads Airstrip, runway 27, 700 × 150 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
- 75
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,773 total · 1,130 in this make and model · 1,745 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.