Piper J3C-65 N70522

Summary

On 2 August 2003 at about 14:15 local time, a Piper J3C-65 registered N70522 was involved in an accident near Chadron, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and 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.

Date

2 August 2003 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Chadron, Nebraska, United States

Nearest airport

Pvt

Coordinates

42.9333, -103.0000

Aircraft

Piper J3C-65

Registration

N70522

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chadron → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI03LA244

1 person had minor injuries.

Inadequate preflight planning by the pilot to ensure the required takeoff distance was utilized, as well as a failure to abort the takeoff. Contributing factors were the uphill gradient and the hangar.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted a hangar immediately after takeoff from an alfalfa field. The pilot reported that he taxied for takeoff, leaving what he thought was sufficient distance for the takeoff roll and initial climb. He noted that during the takeoff, at a point three-quarters of the distance to the hangar, he realized he was not going to be able to clear the obstacles. The pilot stated: "I was in a nose up attitude to try to clear the hangar but could not gain enough altitude. I hit the hangar just left of center and the plane fell back to the ground." The field was approximately one mile square and was surrounded by a barbed-wire fence. The available distance from the point where the takeoff was initiated to the hangar was approximately 730 feet. The takeoff path reportedly sloped upward about 10 feet. The pilot reported that there were no malfunctions with the aircraft or engine prior to the accident. Winds in the vicinity were reported from the south at eight knots. Temperature and dew point were 22 degrees Celsius and 29.98 inches of mercury. Density altitude was calculated as 4,847 feet. Federal regulations require the pilot-in-command to review takeoff distance data prior to flight to ensure sufficient runway distance is available.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.