Piper J3L-65 accident near Gainesville, Texas, September 3, 2011
On September 3, 2011 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper J3L-65, registered N30950, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Gainesville, Texas (Gainesville Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during taxi, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2011 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Texas · Gainesville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3L-65 · all J3L-65s on the register
- Registration
- N30950 · no longer on the register · serial 5225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while taxiing at a high speed, he lost directional control and the airplane veered to the right. His efforts to correct the veer were unsuccessful, and the airplane exited the right side of the runway. The right wing struck terrain, causing substantial damage to spar of the right wing and the empennage.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (to runway) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,498 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 2010; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLE Gainesville TX at 10:30 pm
- Destination: Gainesville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from KGLE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.