Piper PA18 N3681Z

Summary

On 22 June 2020 at about 17:34 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N3681Z was involved in an accident near Monroe, North Carolina, 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

22 June 2020 at 17:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Monroe, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Charlotte-Monroe Executive (EQY)

Coordinates

34.9989, -80.6442

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N3681Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1960

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Monroe → Monroe

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20CA223

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate assessment of the landing area, which resulted in the airplane's encounter with tall weeds during landing and a subsequent nose-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was returning to his farm and performed both high and low "reconnaissance flights" over the farm field before landing. He stated the landing was normal until the airplane struck some taller weeds in the field and nosed over, substantially damaging the tail. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that he had not expected the weeds to be so high and that cutting all vegetation in the landing area might have prevented the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.