19990916032299A

(.19) On September 16, 1999, at 0846 eastern daylight time, a Piper J-3, N3223N, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with level terrain and a post impact fire approximately 0.5 miles north of the Brookville air-park airport, Brookville, Ohio. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight was originating from the Brookville air-park airport for a local flight. During a post accident examination, the control system continuity was established from the control surfaces to their respective actuators. All control cables were intact. The horizontal stabilizer jackscrew indicated nose down trim. The fuselage tail section aft of the cockpit was bent in a downward direction approximately 30 degrees. The post impact fire damaged the cockpit, instruments, and inboard ends of the wing panels. The engine was examined and valve train and accessory gear continuity was established. The engine was rotated and the engine exhibited thumb compression on cylinders two, three, and four. Cylin der number one was removed. Water was poured into the cylinder and was observed to be leaking into the exhaust port. The exhaust valve was removed and no anomalies were detected with respect to the exhaust valve or valve seat. The left magneto produced a spark when rotated by hand. (-23)pilot departed Brookville airpark (I62) on a day VFR local pleasure flight at approximately 0840 local time and crashed into a soybean field located just north of the airport. The aircraft was demolished by the post accident fire and the pilot was killed. (.4) the airplane was destroyed on impact with level terrain and a post impact fire. A witness said, 'we saw the plane facing northeast, the plane appeared to be hovering, or facing into the wind and hardly moving forward. He banked out of that, flew a circuit and did the same hovering maneuver again, then went into a spin. We heard the engine cut off, come back on, then go off again. It disappeared below the trees and we saw smoke rise above the trees.' The fuselage aft of the cockpit was bent downward approximately 30 degrees. Control system continuity was established. All flight control cab les were found intact. The horizontal stabilizer jackscrew indicated nose down trim. The engine was found to rotate freely and engine continuity was established. The upper set of spark plugs were examined and no anomalies were detected. Thumb compression was established on cylinders 2,3 and 4. Cylinder number 1 was removed and no anomalies were detected. The left magneto was removed and was found to produce a spark when rotated by hand. The right magneto did not produce a spark and had evidence of heat damage.