On May 30, 2008, at 1854 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C, N3544N, collided with trees short of runway 14, at the Lake Ridge Aero Park Airport (8NC8) in Durham, North Carolina. The certificated private pilot, who was the owner of the airplane, received serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from 8NC8 about 1834.
Examination of the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found that the airplane had impacted the tops of trees and came to rest on a road, in a steep nose down attitude, about 100-yards short of the runway. Damage to the airplane consisted of the engine, wings, and cockpit.
The airplane was removed from the site and transported to 8NC8 for further examination. During the examination the FAA Inspector found the airplane resting on a trailer with the wings removed and unprotected from the elements. The reserve fuel tank was empty and the 12 gallon main fuel tank contained an unknown quantity of fuel. The top forward weld seam of the main fuel tank was ruptured. A fuel sample taken from the main fuel tank contained evidence of water and other contaminates. Heavy rains were reported on the night before the fuel samples were taken. Rotational damage was noted on the propeller spinner and the wooden propeller blades were shattered. Continuity of the flight control systems was confirmed. No evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the aircraft structure, flight controls, or engine was found.
Several attempts by the FAA inspector to interview the pilot were unsuccessful due to the extent of his injuries. On February 9, 2009, the pilot was interviewed via telephone by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator. The pilot stated during the interview that due to his injuries he had no "recollection of the accident and had lost all recent memories since the accident."