On June 29, 1992, a Piper J3 (registration N92483) operated by Stewarts Aircraft Service was involved in an aviation accident near Waynesville, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing on a grass runway, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the runway surface and the landing gear becoming entangled in weeds. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft bounced and porpoised while attempting to land on a grass runway. The pilot applied full power to abort the landing, but the plane veered off the right side.
What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was attempting to land on a grass runway. During the final approach and touchdown phase, the airplane bounced and began to porpoise toward the left side of the runway surface. Recognizing the unstable landing configuration, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure by applying full power.
Despite the application of maximum thrust, the aircraft failed to maintain alignment with the runway centerline. It proceeded off the right side of the paved or grass edge while under full power. Upon leaving the prepared surface, the landing gear became entangled in long weeds growing along the roadside. The drag caused by the vegetation resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this accident were the pilot's inability to maintain directional control during a rejected landing on a grass surface and the subsequent loss of control when departing the runway environment. The entanglement of the landing gear in vegetation was the immediate mechanical cause of the nose-over.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing on a grass runway, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the runway surface and the landing gear becoming entangled in weeds.