No fatalities

9 May 2013: PIPER J3C-65 — Selma, NC

Selma, NC, United States

On 9 May 2013, a PIPER J3C-65 was involved in an aviation accident near Selma, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The instructor pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with power lines and then the ground. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

An instructor pilot collided with unmarked power lines while demonstrating a touch and go landing on an undesignated grass strip. The airplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.

Incident Overview

An instructor pilot was at the controls of an airplane during a demonstration of a touch and go landing with a student pilot. The aircraft collided with unmarked power lines while attempting to land on an undesignated grass strip. Following the collision, the airplane came to rest inverted on the ground.

Damage Assessment

Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The instructor pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Operational Context

The flight was a training exercise involving a touch and go landing. The instructor was demonstrating the maneuver to the student pilot at the time of the incident. The landing was attempted on a grass strip that was not designated for aviation use. The power lines involved in the collision were not marked.

Pilot Statements

The instructor pilot provided a statement indicating that he was operating the controls during the demonstration. He did not report any issues with the aircraft's systems or performance prior to the collision.

Contributing factors

Causes

Flight crew

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome