Summary
On July 19, 2011, a Piper J3C-65 (N88000) was involved in an accident near Williams Lake, MI. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: A loss of control during approach due to the front seat passenger's belt buckle being wedged between the rear seat,the rudder pedal and floor board.
The pilot landed after performing a local flight with a passenger. The passenger, who was seated in the front seat, exited the airplane. The pilot then departed on another local flight. During the approach for landing, while turning from base leg to final, he was unable to move the left rudder pedal. The airplane entered a right hand spiral and impacted a tree and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that front seat belt buckle had jammed between the rear seat rudder pedal and floor board.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN11CA498. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N88000.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A loss of control during approach due to the front seat passenger's belt buckle being wedged between the rear seat,the rudder pedal and floor board.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot landed after performing a local flight with a passenger. The passenger, who was seated in the front seat, exited the airplane. The pilot then departed on another local flight. During the approach for landing, while turning from base leg to final, he was unable to move the left rudder pedal. The airplane entered a right hand spiral and impacted a tree and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that front seat belt buckle had jammed between the rear seat rudder pedal and floor board.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN11CA498