Casualties unknown

Tailwheel Training Flight Ends in Nose-Over After Striking Snow Banks (N87955)

Andover, NJ, US

On March 5, 2005, a Piper J3C-65 (registration N87955) operated by Calvin Thomas was involved in an aviation accident near Andover, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors in the accident were the flight instructors delayed remedial action, and crosswind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

During a tailwheel training landing on runway 03, the airplane drifted left after touchdown. Despite instructor intervention, the left main gear struck a snow bank, causing a swing and subsequent nose-over.

Incident Overview

A certificated pilot receiving tailwheel instruction was conducting a landing on runway 03. After the airplane touched down, it began to drift left. The flight instructor joined on the controls and applied power along with right rudder in an attempt to correct the deviation.

Sequence of Events

Despite the instructor's inputs, the left main landing gear struck a snow bank approximately 2.5 feet in height. The impact caused the airplane to swing sharply to the left. Subsequently, the right main landing gear also contacted a snow bank, leading the aircraft to nose over.

Environmental Conditions

At the time of the incident, the wind was from 10 degrees to the right of the runway heading at 6 knots. No other weather conditions were reported.

Remarks

The source document provided no additional details regarding aircraft type, registration, number of engines, operator, location, occupants, injuries, damage, time of day, or air traffic control involvement. The probable cause of the accident was not stated in the source.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20050405X00409. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.