Date:	Sunday 23 June 2019
Time:	18:45 LT
Type:	Piper J3C-65 Cub
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N70803
MSN:	17821
Year of manufacture:	1946
Total airframe hrs:	5047 hours
Engine model:	Continental A-65-8F
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Vine Grove Airport (70KY), KY -   United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Vine Grove, KY (70KY)
Destination airport:	Vine Grove, KY (70KY)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot and a passenger departed in a tailwheel airplane on a local flight with the pilot flying the airplane from the rear seat. The pilot reported that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions through final approach to the airport, which was the pilot's last recollection. The passenger did not recall the engine making any unusual sounds or any anomalies in the airplane's maneuverability during the flight. During the approach, the airplane had a nose-up pitch attitude, and a witness heard and observed the airplane flying low on the approach path to the airport. The passenger saw a tree and shouted to the pilot, then the airplane hit the tree, flew through it, and crashed.

Postaccident examination of the airplane and the airplane's engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
A review of the temperature and dew point about the time of the accident revealed that the airplane was operated in the moderate carburetor icing range at cruise power or serious carburetor icing range at descent power. However, based on the passenger's and witnesses' observations of no anomalies with the engine and that the airplane was flying low, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain sufficient visual lookout during the approach and impacted the tree.


Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper visual lookout during the approach, which resulted in inadequate clearance from a tree.

FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=70803

NTSB CEN19LA184

Two injured in Vine Grove plane crash https://t.co/PMGU7y6c2B via @NEheadlines

— The News-Enterprise (@NEheadlines) 24 juin 2019

Vine Grove Airport (70KY), Vine Grove, KY - Officials are investigating a Piper J3C-65 Cub plane crash at the Vine Grove airport in Hardin County.
ASN: https://t.co/dLEGeGXSsm
Press: https://t.co/KtTdlt4A7W pic.twitter.com/nxqrisKKnb

— PLANES OF LEGEND (@PlanesOfLegend) 24 juin 2019

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Jun-2019 01:26	Geno	Added
24-Jun-2019 04:37	RobertMB	Updated [Aircraft type, Nature, Damage, Narrative, ]
24-Jun-2019 09:47	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
24-Jun-2019 09:53	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ]
24-Jun-2019 18:47	harro	Updated [Location, Embed code, ]
24-Jun-2019 19:06	Geno	Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, ]
27-Mar-2021 15:31	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ]