On February 10, 1985, a Piper J3C-65 (registration N92668) operated by Aero Sport,inc. was involved in an aviation accident near St.augustine, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a bounced landing, which resulted in a collision with a wind direction indicator support pole. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a training flight, an aircraft bounced on landing and drifted right toward a windsock pole while the instructor turned to advise the student pilot.
What happened
The aircraft experienced a bounced landing during its approach. Following the bounce, the aircraft drifted to the right, ultimately colliding with the support pole of a wind direction indicator.
The investigation
A certified flight instructor (CFI) was on board as the pilot in command. According to the CFI's account, he turned his head toward the rear seat to advise the student pilot to keep the left wing down due to crosswind conditions. During this action, he noticed the aircraft drifting toward the pole.
Findings
The collision occurred during the recovery phase of the bounced landing. The presence of a crosswind condition was noted as a factor in the flight dynamics at the time of the incident.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a bounced landing, which resulted in a collision with a wind direction indicator support pole.