Piper J-3 accident near Hollywood, Florida, May 23, 2006
On May 23, 2006 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper J-3, registered N44778, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollywood, Florida (North Perry airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the instructional flight during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collision with a runway sign. Factors contributing to the accident were a crosswind, and the student pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2006 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · North Perry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3 · all J-3s on the register
- Registration
- N44778 · registry record · serial 4700
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot/flight instructor was providing instruction to a student pilot on a CFR Part 91 local flight. The instructor reported that during the landing roll, a 7 knot right crosswind pushed the tail of the airplane left, and the nose veered to the right. The student attempted to correct the turn with left brake application, but was unable to prevent the airplane from departing the right side of the runway. The left horizontal stabilizer struck a runway sign, damaging the stabilizer and the left elevator.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,475 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36L
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.