Piper J3C-65 N3607N

Summary

On 20 August 1996 at about 13:45 local time, a Piper J3C-65 registered N3607N was involved in an accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 August 1996 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Grosse Ile, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Gross Ile Airport (ONZ)

Coordinates

42.1309, -83.1504

Aircraft

Piper J3C-65

Registration

N3607N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96LA308

Nobody was injured.

improper attachment of the flight control cables to the ailerons by the mechanic who performed the last annual inspection. A factor relating to this accident was the pilot's failure to perform an adequate check of the flight controls before takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that right after takeoff at approximately 30 feet above ground level (AGL), the airplane entered a right turn. The airplane did not respond to the pilot's control inputs. The pilot reduced power and pitch. The airplane's right wing struck the ground followed by the right main landing gear. The airplane subsequently ground looped before coming to a stop. Examination of airplane showed that both ailerons were rigged improperly. The aileron control cables had been attached to the wrong side of the bellcranks. This flight on which the accident occurred was the first flight of the airplane following an annual inspection preformed on July 19, 1996.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.