# Accident 19960730022789A: Piper J3C65, Camp Lake, WI, July 30, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 30, 1996, 19:21 local time
- Place: Camp Lake, WI
- Airport: Camp Lake Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.5278° N, 88.1561° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CAMP LAKE (49C), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5278&lon=-88.1561&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3445K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3445K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J3C65
- Reported engine: CONT A658
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 788 total, 360 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA262) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960730022789A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER AND PISTON HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED ON THE ENGINE. HE PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT, THEN DID A TWENTY MINUTE ENGINE RUN-UP. HE THEN DEPARTED FOR A TEST FLIGHT AROUND THE AIRPORT. DURING THE CLIMB, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO 'SLOW DOWN,' SO THE PILOT STARTED A TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. WHILE HE WAS IN THE TURN, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DUE TO LACK OF ALTITUDE, HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH A CLEAR AREA, AND HE WAS FORCED TO LAND IN TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER TWO PISTON HAD SEIZED IN THE CYLINDER. THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER'S BORE WAS REPORTED TO BE 0.007 INCH OVER STANDARD, AND THE PISTON WAS 0.015 INCH OVERSIZE. THE PISTON WAS GALLED AS A RESULT OF THE ENGINE SEIZURE. THE CYLINDER AND PISTON, WHICH WERE USED FOR REPAIR, WERE USED PARTS. THE MECHANIC WHO HAD INSTALLED THE PARTS REPORTED THAT ADEQUATE CLEARANCES HAD EXISTED. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #CHI96LA262.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI96LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA262), Jul 31, 1996: Piper PA-J3C (N3445K), Camp Lake, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: seizure of the number 2 piston. Inadequate maintenance was a related factor.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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