IAD05LA042

Factual narrative

On March 5, 2005, about 1340 eastern standard time, a Piper J3C-65, N87955, received substantial damage when it nosed over while landing at Aeroflex-Andover Airport (12N), Andover, New Jersey. The certificated flight instructor and certificated commercial pilot receiving instruction were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the flight instructor, the pilot receiving tailwheel instruction was executing a landing on runway 03. After the airplane touched down, it started to drift left. "As correction control inputs were being made [both pilots were then on the controls], the left main gear struck a 2 1/2-foot snow bank, causing the aircraft to swing quickly to the left.." The right main landing gear then struck the snow bank, and the airplane nosed over. The weather reported at the airport, at 1354, included winds from 040 degrees at 6 knots. The certificated pilot (receiving tailwheel instruction) executed a landing to runway 03, and after the airplane touched down, it drifted left. The flight instructor joined him on the controls, and added power and right rudder; however, the left main landing gear struck a 2 1/2-foot snow bank. The airplane swung to the left, the right main landing gear then struck a snow bank, and the airplane nosed over. Winds were 10 degrees from the right, at 6 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12