# NTSB WPR23LA018: Piper J3F-60, N21486, Herlong, NV, October 15, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 14, 2022, 19:05 local (Oct 15, 2022, 02:05 UTC) - Place: Herlong, NV · Dead Cow Lakebed Airstrip US-0986 - Coordinates: 40.140351, -119.89186 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1404&lon=-119.8919&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 106159 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106159/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106159 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA018 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate separation during a formation flight, which resulted in an encounter with wake turbulence, an aerodynamic stall, and collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3F-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=7100532), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md) - [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3F-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=7100532), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3F-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7100532), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3F-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=7100532), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3F-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=7100532), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper J3F-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=7100532), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Piper J3F-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7100532), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, while flying in formation inbound for landing, during the base leg to final approach turn, the airplane in front of his slowed down too much and he had to maneuver to give the airplane room to land. During the maneuver, the accident airplane encountered the preceding airplane’s wake turbulence and subsequently entered a spin at about 100 ft above ground level. The pilot was able to recover from the spin and collided with the ground hard in a wings level attitude. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21486](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21486-2023-02-04), registration cancelled 2023-02-04, S/N 2342, built 1938 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3F-60 - Registry model: [Piper J3F-60](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3f-60) (registry code 7100532) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2342 - Year built: 1938 - Airframe hours: 3132.1 - Engines: Continental C85 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special); Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2021 - Airport: Dead Cow Lakebed Airstrip US-0986 - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 26, 2021; seat: rear; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,045 total, 700 in this make and model, 3,924 as pilot in command, 88 in the last 90 days, 69 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 250° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: KRTS, 28 nm away - METAR: KRTS 150255Z AUTO 25003KT 10SM CLR 16/M07 A3004 RMK AO2 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20221014023029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221014023029A), Oct 14, 2022: Piper J3F-60, Dead Cow, NV, Substantial damage. -Pilot was conducting low level maneuvers over Dead Cow dry lakebed at low level below 500' above ground level (AGL) -Prior to the accident, the aircraft was… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 30, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106159. 3.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14631596&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA018%20%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14829750&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA018%20Damage%20Photo-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.