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Atlas / NTSB / MIA07CA097

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event MIA07CA097

2007-05-15 Byron, Georgia, United States Airport · GE27 Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N33116

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER J3C-65

Year of manufacture

1940 · 67 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19550813

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A39C20

Registrant of record

WALKER GARRETT C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilots failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated he departed Houston County airport at about 08:45 EDT and landed at Seaborn Smith's Airport (GE27) at about 09:15. There was about a 5 to 7 knot wind from the southeast. Both runways are grass and both are East - West. I headed upwind to the East and spent a few minutes before departing GE27. I attempted a "soft field" take-off with a nose up - Tail down. This gave me limited visibility over the nose of the airplane. The left quartering tailwind caused me to drift to the right into a fence on the right side of the runway. The accident occurred about 09:30 EDT. The pilot attempted a "soft field" take-off with the nose up and tail down to gave him limited visibility over the nose of the airplane. He stated that a left quartering tailwind caused the airplane to drift to the right into a fence on the right side of the runway. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_MIA07CA097.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.