No fatalities

16 May 2014: PIPER J3C 65 — HEINZ JOHN — Tucson, AZ

Tucson, AZ, United States

On 16 May 2014, a PIPER J3C 65 operated by HEINZ JOHN was involved in an aviation accident near Tucson, AZ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. 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

A pilot reported a wind shift during landing, causing the airplane to depart the runway, traverse dirt, strike a ditch, and collapse its landing gear, resulting in substantial fuselage damage.

Incident Summary

During a landing approach, a pilot noted the wind direction while on short final. After touchdown, the wind direction changed. The pilot attempted to adjust for the wind shift, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway. It then traversed on the dirt and struck a ditch. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on its belly.

Damage and Inspection

The incident resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Report

The pilot indicated that the wind shift occurred after touchdown, and despite efforts to compensate, the airplane veered off the runway surface. The sequence of events led to the gear collapse and the aircraft coming to a stop on its belly.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationContributed to outcome