Piper J3C N48694

Summary

On 3 October 2017 at about 17:30 local time, a Piper J3C registered N48694 was involved in an accident near Yakima, Washington, United States. 2 people were 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

3 October 2017 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Yakima, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister (YKM)

Coordinates

46.5667, -120.5358

Aircraft

Piper J3C

Registration

N48694

Category

Airplane

Year built

1943

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yakima → Yakima

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA001

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the purpose of the flight was to demonstrate a short-field takeoff to an observing student. During the takeoff roll, about rotation speed, the left wing unexpectedly dropped and impacted the ground. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped and sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.