Piper J3C-65 N88387

Summary

On 2 April 2003 at about 19:35 local time, a Piper J3C-65 registered N88387 was involved in an accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, 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

2 April 2003 at 19:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Taunton, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Taunton Muni (TAN)

Coordinates

41.8714, -71.0097

Aircraft

Piper J3C-65

Registration

N88387

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Taunton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC03LA078

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the winds, and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in the inadvertent stall. A factor in the accident was the tailwind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, prior to takeoff, he noted the wind sock was 70 to 90 degrees different to the wind he physically felt on the ground. He departed runway 30, and while in flight he observed smoke near the airport which indicated a crosswind of approximately 135 degrees to the runway, which he thought appeared to be the same as on take off. The pilot said when he landed on runway 30, the wind shifted and the tail of the airplane was picked up by the "tail/cross wind." The airplane then veered left and started to depart the runway. Unable to correct with rudder or brakes, the pilot applied full power to abort the landing. After lift off, to avoid trees, the pilot banked right which, "...caused the right wing to stall and slide into the ground by the wind sock." The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical difficulties with the airplane. Winds at the airport were reported to be from 110 degrees at 7 knots about 20 minutes after the accident, and as calm 45 minutes before the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.