Summary
On March 30, 2013, a Piper J3L-65 (N35252) was involved in an incident near Daytona Beach, FL. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, resulting in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to land with a tailwind.
According to the pilot he was participating in a spot landing competition at the airport. After the airplane main landing gear touched down on runway 05 the airplane began to drift slightly to the right. He applied left rudder and brake to realign the airplane with the runway and to also counteract a “quartering tailwind”. He also advanced the throttle to assist in centering the airplane with the runway, but the engine “stuttered.” He retracted the throttle and continued to apply left rudder and aileron; however, the airplane departed the right side of the runway and impacted a hangar resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. Videotape taken by a spectator of the landing competition corroborates the pilot’s description of the accident.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA13CA223. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N35252.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, resulting in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to land with a tailwind.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
According to the pilot he was participating in a spot landing competition at the airport. After the airplane main landing gear touched down on runway 05 the airplane began to drift slightly to the right. He applied left rudder and brake to realign the airplane with the runway and to also counteract a “quartering tailwind”. He also advanced the throttle to assist in centering the airplane with the runway, but the engine “stuttered.” He retracted the throttle and continued to apply left rudder and aileron; however, the airplane departed the right side of the runway and impacted a hangar resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. Videotape taken by a spectator of the landing competition corroborates the pilot’s description of the accident. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. Wind reported at an airport located about 5 miles east of the accident site was from 200 degrees at 08 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA13CA223