Date:	Wednesday 20 September 2017
Time:	16:30
Type:	Piper J3C-65 Cub
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-AJAD
MSN:	1170
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Saltford Airstrip, near Bath, Somerset -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Taxi
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Saltford Airstrip, near Bath, Somerset
Destination airport:	Saltford Airstrip, near Bath, Somerset
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Piper J3C-65 Cub, G-AJAD: Significantly Damaged in a taxiing mishap resulting in contact with fence, private airstrip, Saltford, Bath, Somerset 20 September 2017. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report:

"Following a short flight, the pilot had landed G-AJAD, a classic ‘taildragger’ type, at a privately owned grass airstrip with a runway on a heading of 270 degrees. The local weather conditions were dry with surface winds of 190 degrees at 7 knots, across the runway.

This runway has a nominal width of approximately 30 metres between wire stock fencing. After touchdown,
the pilot had slowed the aircraft to taxi speed and was proceeding to a hangar situated to the north of the runway. During this manoeuvre, whilst still on the runway, the aircraft veered rapidly to the left and hit a fence post which formed part of the southerly boundary of the airstrip. This caused the wing to drop, further damaging the upper cockpit frame and propeller against the fence. The pilot was uninjured.

In the pilot’s opinion, the cause of the accident was a “mismanagement of rudder, brakes and throttle” during the taxi.

=Damage Sustained to airframe=
Per the above AAIB report "Damage to wing strut, upper cockpit airframe and propeller". The 1943 built airframe was repaired and returned to service

Saltford is a large English village and civil parish in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority, Somerset. It lies between the cities of Bristol and Bath, and adjoins Keynsham on the same route.

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a82f25740f0b6230269d863/Piper_J3C-65_Cub_G-AJAD_03-18.pdf
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AJAD.pdf
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltford

This Piper J3C-65 Cub was previously registered in Belgium as OO-GEJ. It was first registered in the UK as G-AJAD on 26 June 1984. Note that G-AJAD was an \"in period registration\" allocated out of sequence: the registration immediately previous, G-AJAC, was allocated to an Auster Mk.V on 4 February 1947 some 37 years before. Between 26 June 1984 and 13 August 2002, G-AJAD passed through the hands of seven successive owners, the most recent one being long term (22 years, 2002-2024)

After the incident at Saltford on 20 September 2017, G-AJAD was repaired and returned to service. The aircraft had accumulated a total of 553 flying hours as at 9 June 2020

Piper J3C-65 Cub G-AJAD at Sywell, Northamptonshire (ORM/EGBK) 2 September 2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Jun-2024 06:29	Dr. John Smith	Added
12-Jun-2024 06:29	ASN	Updated [Accident report]