- Date
- April 8, 2008, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bisbee, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3228NPiper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080408836669A
- Case key
- 67794
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 obtain/maintain sufficient airspeed after takeoff, which resulted in a stall/mush condition.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot performed 5 or 6 touch-and-go landings. He said that on the last one about 50 feet above ground level after takeoff, "...the airplane began to sink and we landed off field straight ahead hitting some brush." The airplane's right wing tip was substantially damaged as a result of impacting a tree during the landing roll. The pilot reported that calm winds prevailed at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that following 5 or 6 touch-and-go landings and about 50 feet above ground level after takeoff, "...the airplane began to sink and we landed off field straight ahead hitting some brush." The airplane's right wing tip was substantially damaged as a result of impacting a tree during the landing roll. The pilot reported that calm winds prevailed at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3228N
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22420
- Engine
- Continental C-90-8F, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donovan O Laeding
- Registered owner
- Donovan O Laeding
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- P04 · Bisbee, AZ
- Destination
- P04 · Bisbee, AZ
- Airport
- P04 · Bisbee Municipal Airport, runway 02, 2,650 × 75 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
- 70
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 5 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.