Piper J3C 65 N1205P

Summary

On 3 June 2014 at about 16:30 local time, a Piper J3C 65 registered N1205P was involved in an accident near Bellingham, Washington, 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

3 June 2014 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bellingham, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Floathaven (WA90)

Coordinates

48.6791, -122.4098

Aircraft

Piper J3C 65

Registration

N1205P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burlington → Bellingham

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14CA223

Nobody was injured.

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

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.