NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA18CA108
Registry · N35226
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
PIPER J3L-65
Year of manufacture
1944 · 74 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-145B SERIES (65 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560731
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3EEF8
Registrant of record
ISAAC TIMOTHY S
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The control stick handgrip separation from the control stick resulting in the airplane pitching forward, which resulted in hard landing.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was flying the tailwheel-equipped airplane from the rear seat. During the landing flare, with the control stick in an aft position, the control stick's rubber handgrip slipped off, allowing the stick to move forward. Before he could recover the stick, the airplane pitched down, and landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, the forward lower fuselage and the longerons in the tail section. According to the pilot, he was flying the tailwheel-equipped airplane from the rear seat. During the landing flare, with the control stick in an aft position, the control stick's rubber handgrip slipped off, allowing the stick to move forward. Before he could recover the stick, the airplane pitched down, and landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, the forward lower fuselage and the longerons in the tail section. 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).
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Attain/maintain not possible - C
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Equipment/furnishings-Flight compartment equipment-Damaged/degraded - C
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2018_GAA18CA108.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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