N42351

Substantial
None

PIPER J3C-65S/N: 14601

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, June 6, 2009
NTSB Number
ERA09CA334
Location
Alamana, FL
Event ID
20090610X93909
Coordinates
28.963611, -81.203887
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
14601
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1945
Model / ICAO
J3C-65J3
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
J3C-65

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
CLARK THOMAS L
Address
31 LAZY EIGHT DR
City
PORT ORANGE
State / Zip Code
FL 32128-6776
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot and a passenger flew to a privately-owned airport. The pilot circled the airport and made a low pass to view the runway condition. The pilot noticed the turf runway had not been mowed recently and consisted of tall grass; however, he did not see any standing water. After the pilot landed and rolled down the runway, he encountered a soft surface with standing water, which was not visible from the air. The airplane’s main gear sank into the soft surface which allowed the airplane to nose over and came to rest on the top of the wings and vertical stabilizer. Both occupants were able to exit the airplane with no injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing spar and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the accident.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA334