Accident Piper J-3 N98806, Sunday 18 October 1987

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Date:	Sunday 18 October 1987
Time:	18:00 LT
Type:	Piper J-3
Owner/operator:	Augusta Aviation Inc
Registration:	N98806
MSN:	19048
Total airframe hrs:	11334 hours
Engine model:	Continental C-85-12
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Clarks Hill, SC - United States of America
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Augusta, GA (KDNL)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE TREES WHEN THE PILOT BEGAN A CLIMBING TURN. AS HE LEVELED THE WINGS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER AND EASED FORWARD ON THE CONTROL STICK LOWERING THE AIRCRAFT NOSE SLIGHTLY. WHEN HE PULLED BACK ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND INTO THE TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MOVE THE CONTROL STICK THROUGH APRX 50% OF ITS TRAVEL WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT. HE FELT THAT THE BOTTOM REAR SEAT CUSHION MAY HAVE SLID FORWARD, AS IT HAD PREVIOUSLY, RESTRICTING THE CONTROL STICK TRAVEL.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: