Piper J4 Cub Coupe Accident In Virginia

NTSB Accident Brief
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A solo student pilot, attempting to land a tailwheel-equipped Piper J4 Cub Coupe, lost directional control after an improper landing flare and multiple bounces during touchdown.
  • The aircraft veered right, ground-looped, exited the runway, and struck a guard rail, causing substantial damage to the right wing lift strut.
  • The probable cause was determined to be the student pilot's improper landing flare and failure to maintain directional control during landing.
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Piper J4 Cub Coupe

Forest, Virginia/Injuries: 1

The solo student pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during final approach to land, he realized the airplane was too high, so he performed a forward slip. During touchdown, the airplane bounced twice and veered right. The airplane ground looped to the right, exited the runway, and the right main landing gear struck a guard rail. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause(s): The student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Note: The report republished here is from the NTSB and is printed verbatim and in its complete form. 

Isabel Goyer

A commercial pilot, Isabel Goyer has been flying for more than 40 years, with hundreds of different aircraft in her logbook and thousands of hours. An award-winning aviation writer, photographer and editor, Ms. Goyer led teams at Sport Pilot, Air Progress and Flying before coming to Plane & Pilot in 2015.
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