Piper J3C N87715
3 November 2020 · Weslaco, Texas, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 3 November 2020 at about 23:53 local time, a Piper J3C registered N87715 was involved in an accident near Weslaco, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:53
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Weslaco, Texas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Mid Valley Airport (TXW)
- Coordinates
- 26.1787, -97.9740
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C
- Registration
- N87715
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1958
- 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
- CEN21LA040
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot of N87715 inadvertently allowed his airplane to drift right of the runway during the climb after a touch-and-go landing, and the pilot of N6463H did not maintain adequate separation from the other airplane during his go-around. Contributing to the accident was the lack of two-way radio communication equipment in both airplanes.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilots of two Piper J3C-65 airplanes, N87715 and N6463H, were conducting personal flights in the airport traffic pattern when they collided inflight. The pilot of N87715 reported that during the climb following a touch-and-go landing, he inadvertently allowed the airplane’s ground track to drift right of the runway while his attention was diverted to the cockpit instruments, and his airplane collided with another airplane about 80 ft above the ground. The crash site was in a grass area located about 110 ft off the right side of runway. The pilot of N6463H reported that after turning from base leg to final approach, he realized that his airplane was too close to the airplane ahead of him (N87715) in the traffic pattern. He decided to go around and sidestepped to the right of the runway to provide separation from the other airplane. He maintained visual contact with the other airplane, keeping it at his 9-to-10 o’clock position and slightly below his position, as he continued his go-around. The pilot stated that shortly after he shifted his gaze to the right side of his airplane to assess if there were any additional impediments to his flight path, the other airplane “made an apparent right turn” and collided with his airplane. The pilot was unable to maintain control of his airplane after the collision and it descended to the ground intermingled with the other airplane. Neither airplane was equipped with an electrical system or handheld radio. The lack of two-way communication equipment limited the pilots’ ability to communicate their positions and intentions while operating in the airport traffic pattern.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piper J3C 65 | N87715 | - | Substantial |
| Piper J3C 65 | N6463H | - | Substantial |
Other Piper J3C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2020 | Piper J3C-65 | Mount Victory, Ohio, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 2019 | Piper J3C | Elyria, Ohio, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 27 Mar 2021 | Piper J3C-65 | Justin, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 2021 | Piper J3C-65 | Adrian, Missouri, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Sep 2019 | Piper J3C | Lander, Wyoming, United States | Lander Skymaster Llc | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 May 2019 | Piper J3C | Louisa, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 2020 | Cessna 182 | Winfield, Texas, United States | Brentco Aerial Patrol | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 May 2020 | MD Helicopters 369 | Houston, Texas, United States | City Of Houston | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Dec 2020 | Piper PA-30 | Navasota, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 2020 | CubCrafters CC19-180 | Fredericksburg, Texas, United States | Kgnf, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 2020 | Piper PA32R | Zavalla, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Nov 2020 | Cirrus SR20 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | Plane Smart! Aviation | No injuries | - |