Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while approaching to land.
NTSB analysis
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found that the airplane had impacted the tops of trees and came to rest on a road in a steep nose down attitude, about 100-yards short of the runway. The propeller and spinner showed evidence of high speed rotation at the time of impact. All flight controls were intact. No evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the aircraft structure, flight controls, or engine was found. The pilot stated that due to his injuries he had no "recollection of the accident and had lost all recent memories since the accident."
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for MIA08LA109 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 30, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Durham, North Carolina
- Nearest airport
- Lake Ridge Aero Park (8NC8)
- Highest injury
- Serious
- Serious injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Dusk
Piper J3C-65
- N-number
- N3544N
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.