Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Carrol County, Virginia 24343
Wednesday, September 10, 2014 13:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On September 10, 2014, about 1315 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper J3C-65 Cub, N26105, was substantially damaged after it impacted trees while maneuvering at low altitude near Carroll County, Virginia. The private pilot was seriously injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW), Beckley, West Virginia at 1145 and destined for Smith Reynolds Airport (INT), Winston Salem, North Carolina. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
In a written statement, the pilot stated that he refueled the airplane at BKW and then departed for INT. While following Interstate 77 in cruise flight and about 40 nm from his destination, the pilot encountered some light rain that quickly progressed into heavy rain. He initiated a descent to follow the interstate and to stay beneath the clouds. While searching for a suitable landing site the airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a wooded area near the interstate median. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation.
According to a witness the weather at the time was "foggy and rainy." While driving southbound on Interstate 77 he saw the airplane to his left on a southerly heading flying very close to tree tops. He observed the airplane wings rock back and forth slightly and then the airplane impacted trees.
At the time of the accident, the reported ceiling from Twin County Airport (HLX), Galax Hillsville, Virginia was overcast at 700 feet above ground level. The field elevation at HLX was 2694 feet. The elevation at the accident site was approximately 2534 feet.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/10/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Carrol County |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24343 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 363810N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0804312W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1315 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HLX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2694 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 9 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 700 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.21 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 22 2014 2:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | rayb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N26105 |
| NTSB Number | ERA14LA433 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | J3C 65 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 65 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4051 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1170 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 7 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 694 |
| Airframe Hours | 4288 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HEIMOS BERNARD F |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAGUNA NIGUEL |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 926773702 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HEIMOS BERNARD F |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | LAGUNA NIGUEL |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 926773702 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BKW |
| Departure City | BECKLEY |
| Departure State | WV |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1145 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | INT |
| Destination City | WINSTON SALEM |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 22 2014 2:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | rayb |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |