Piper J-3C N71060

Summary

On 30 March 2000 at about 14:45 local time, a Piper J-3C registered N71060 was involved in an accident near Eureka, South Dakota, United States. 2 people were 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

30 March 2000 at 14:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Eureka, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

45.7595, -99.6204

Aircraft

Piper J-3C

Registration

N71060

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eureka → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI00LA100

Nobody was injured.

the foreign object (shot gun shell) which jammed the control stick. Factors associated with the accident were the low altitude at which the control stick jammed and the rough terrain which the airplane contacted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was to shoot coyotes for the South Dakota wildlife management program. The pilot began a descending left turn from an altitude of 125 feet above ground level (agl) so his passenger could take a shot at a coyote. At an altitude of about 40 feet agl he attempted to level the airplane, but was unable to pull back on the control stick. The control stick was jammed with the airplane in a nose low, left bank attitude. The pilot applied rudder and pulled the power off prior to the airplane contacting the ground. The airplane impacted the terrain and slid sideways. It contacted a badger hole which resulted in the landing gear collapsing and the left wing contacting the terrain. Inspection of the airplane revealed that a 12 gauge shot gun shell was jammed in the aft control stick preventing it from being moved.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.