N70734 Piper J3C-65 accident

NTSB MIA92FA174 · 1992-09-06 · INVERNESS, MS

Docket — crew, injuries and powerplant

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT WHO HAD NOT RECEIVED A SOLO ENDORSEMENT FROM A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR BORROWED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE OWNER. THE STUDENT THEN FLEW SOLO TO CLEVELAND, MISSISSIPPI WHERE A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ENDORSED HIM FOR SOLO FLIGHT. THE STUDENT THEN RETURNED TO INVERNESS, MISSISSIPPI AND REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT. THE STUDENT THEN FLEW TO LELAND, MISSISSIPPI AND PICKED UP A PASSENGER. THE STUDENT AND PASSENGER THEN DEPARTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEER SPOTTING. THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED FLYING LOW AND AT A SLOW SPEED IN THE CRASH AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY. THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED NOSE FIRST AT A SLOW SPEED IN AN AREA OF TREES. ONLY ONE SMALL BRANCH ON A TREE HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY THE DESCENDING AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ENGINE.

Probable cause

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALL AIRSPEED RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND ENTERING A SPIN FROM WHICH IT DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED TO THE GROUND. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident.

Circumstances

Event type

Accident

Highest injury

Fatal

Weather conditions

Visual Meteorological Cond

Light condition

Day

Sky condition

NONE

Ceiling (ft)

0

Visibility (sm)

7

Wind direction

190

Wind speed (kt)

6

Temperature (F)

91

Distance from field

0.0

Aircraft

Sequence of events

Findings