NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CEN24LA290
Registry · N98813
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
PIPER J3C-65
Year of manufacture
1946 · 78 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR C85 SERIES (85 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560628
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ADCB73
Registrant of record
HEATH NANCY A
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s decision to allow a non-rated passenger to manipulate the flight controls during the takeoff which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during takeoff, the non-rated passenger manipulating the flight controls lost directional control of the airplane due to p-factor. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder; however, the airplane ground looped to the left, impacted a runway lighting system, and came to rest in the grass. During the ground loop, the left wing struck the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
- — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2024_CEN24LA290.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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