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CEN24LA041

2023-11-17 · Buffalo, Minnesota, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CFE

Current FAA registration · N30494

Make / Model
PIPER J3C-65
Year of manufacture
1940 · 83 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR C85-8 (85 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20111007
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A331DE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a quartering headwind.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, while practicing touch-and-go landings, the tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down and immediately veered right. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder and brake; however, the airplane exited the right side of the runway. During the excursion the airplane collided with an airport sign, and the right wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and its lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 18 with wind from 210° at 12 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_CEN24LA041.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

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Related research

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