- Date
- May 21, 2001, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brush Prairie, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N29042Piper J3F-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20010521010059A
- Case key
- 52340
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 first pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a high-speed taxi maneuver. Tall grass adjacent to the runway was a 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 first pilot, a certified flight instructor, and the second pilot, a private pilot receiving instruction, were back taxing on the westbound turf runway. The first pilot said that during the high-speed taxi maneuver, the airplane veered to the left. He stated he compensated by applying rudder; however, the airplane continued to the left, encountered tall grass, and nosed over. The pilot reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from the northwest at 10-15 knots. No mechanical difficulties or malfunctions were reported.
Factual narrative
On May 21, 2001, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Piper J3F-65 airplane, N29042, sustained substantial damage subsequent to a nose-over at a private airstrip near Brush Prairie, Washington. The airplane is owned and operated by Paulsons Aircraft, Vancouver, Washington, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) instructional flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The first pilot, a certified flight instructor, and the second pilot, a private pilot receiving instruction, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The flight originated at Evergreen Field, Vancouver, Washington, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident.
During a conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board on May 24, the instructor pilot stated that he and the second pilot were back taxiing on the westbound turf runway. The pilot said that during the high-speed taxi maneuver, the airplane veered to the left. He stated he compensated by applying rudder; however, the airplane continued to the left, encountered tall grass, and nosed over.
The pilot reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from the northwest at 10-15 knots.
No mechanical difficulties or malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29042
- Reported as
- Piper J3F-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6013
- Airframe hours
- 5,540
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Evergreen Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Paulsons Aircraft
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 21, 2001 · 77 hours before
- Departed
- 59S · Vancouver, WA
- Destination
- Brush Prairie, WA
- Airport
- Brush Prairie
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2000
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 716 total · 230 in this make and model · 634 as pilot in command · 350 in the last 90 days · 120 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 19
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- March 6, 2001
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 66 total · 2 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 15 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N29042 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.