PIPER J3L
Astoria, OR — January 13, 2018
Event Information
| Date | January 13, 2018 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA18CA108 |
| Event ID | 20180115X40753 |
| Location | Astoria, OR |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 46.16139, -123.64027 |
| Airport | KARPENS |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | J3L |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The control stick handgrip separation from the control stick resulting in the airplane pitching forward, which resulted in hard landing.
Full 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.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.