N33554

Substantial
None

PIPER J3C-65S/N: 14028

Accident Details

Date
Monday, July 5, 2010
NTSB Number
ERA10CA355
Location
Warrenton, VA
Event ID
20100712X54906
Coordinates
38.550277, -77.715835
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 improper flare during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
14028
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
TIPPETT CHARLES S
Address
7566 FRYTOWN RD
City
WARRENTON
State / Zip Code
VA 20187-7907
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, he was taking off from runway 2, a 2,000-foot-long, by 150-foot wide, turf runway. About halfway down the runway, at an altitude of 80 to 100 feet above ground level, the pilot realized that the airplane "was not climbing particularly well." The pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing because the airplane was not going to clear trees located near the end of the runway. He turned the airplane and attempted to land it in a field to the right of the grass strip. The pilot stated that he had a "rough landing," substantially damaging the left wing of the airplane. The pilot further stated that the preflight and engine run-up were "good" before the accident flight. He commented that the decreased performance of the airplane was due to the hot and humid day, the airplane was full of fuel, and he had a passenger in the airplane. The pilot noted that his total flight experience was approximately 200 hours; of which, about 125 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The recorded weather at an airport located 2 miles north of the accident site, included winds from 300 degrees at 7 knots, clear skies, and a temperature of 33 degrees C.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA10CA355