Piper J3-C65 N3253N

Summary

On 11 June 2001 at about 01:00 local time, a Piper J3-C65 registered N3253N was involved in an accident near West Fargo, North Dakota, 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

11 June 2001 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

West Fargo, North Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

West Fargo Municipal (D54)

Coordinates

46.8708, -96.8896

Aircraft

Piper J3-C65

Registration

N3253N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fargo → Fargo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA201

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and the unsuitable landing area selected by the pilot. Additional factors were the uneven terrain and the failed float assembly in overload.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The floatplane sustained substantial damage when it landed on a grass field, subsequently collapsing the float rigging and damaging the wing. The pilot reported, "... upon slide out, aircraft turned abruptly to line 90 degrees, side loading floats. Bending struts on floats, prop struck float, wingtip struck ground when float struts gave way." The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. A witness who worked at the airport reported the grass field adjacent to the airport had been mowed so the pilot could land. He reported the pilot was the first person to land on the grass at that airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.