N1205P

Substantial
None

PIPER J3C 65S/N: 17630

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
NTSB Number
WPR14CA223
Location
Bellingham, WA
Event ID
20140604X11538
Coordinates
48.679080, -122.409774
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing on a narrow airstrip, which resulted in a collision with trees.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
17630
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1946
Model / ICAO
J3C 65J3
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
J3C-65

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
NEWMAN JUDITH
Address
1730 TUCKER RD
City
HOOD RIVER
State / Zip Code
OR 97031-9688
Country
United States

Analysis

The owner-pilot departed his home airport for a personal flight to another airstrip where he had previously operated many times. Since the turf runway had a significant slope and was bordered by trees on three sides, landings were conducted in the uphill direction, which was to the southeast. The narrowness of the runway, coupled with the proximity of trees to the runway edges, necessitated that pilots taxi uphill to the southeast end, in order to turn around and exit the runway at the northwest end. The pilot overflew the runway to check for deer and other obstacles, and made a left-hand circling approach for the landing to the southeast. There was a slight left crosswind during the approach, but no wind at all on the runway because of the tall trees. Touchdown at the intended landing point, which was about 150 feet beyond the approach end was normal. After landing, the pilot added power to taxi uphill to turn around. However, about 400 feet beyond the touchdown point, the airplane began to drift to the right. The pilot was unable to correct that drift before the right wingtip struck a small tree, which resulted in a sharp right turn. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway, which was a downsloped, wooded area. The airplane was stopped by a large tree, and came to rest approximately perpendicular to the runway, with the tail approximately at the runway edge. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR14CA223