# Accident 20000415039969A: Piper J3C65, Lanconia, NH, April 15, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 15, 2000, 14:00 local time
- Place: Lanconia, NH
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N42383, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N42383-2019-05-06) (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 A651
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 277 total, 86 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA113) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000415039969A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF TOWARDS THE SOUTH, CLIMBED TO 50-100 FEET, JUST OVER THE TREE LINE, AND BEGAN A CIRCLING TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE COMPLETED 360 DEGREES OF THE TURN, AND WAS 10-15 DEGREES NOSE HIGH, WHEN THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AT A 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED THAT ONE BLADE WAS BROKEN AFT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF ROTATION, AND ONE BLADE WAS BROKEN STRAIGHT BACK TOWARDS THE ENGINE. A SAMPLE OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL STRAINER BOWL AFTER THE ACCIDENT; IT WAS GREEN IN COLOR, CLOUDY, AND RESEMBLED 'MUDDY WATER.' THE FUEL ALSO CONTAINED UNIDENTIFIED DEBRIS. THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST FUELED WITH 9 GALLONS OF 100LL AVIATION GASOLINE ON OCTOBER 17, 1999, AND THERE WAS NO RECORD OF IT BEING FLOWN SINCE THAT DATE. (-23) PILOT DEPARTED FIELD IN SOUTHERLY DIRECTION AND APPEARED TO LEVEL OFF APPROXIMATELY 150' AGL AS HE CIRCLED FIELD TO THE RIGHT, HE CONTINUED CIRCLING AROUND THE FIELD OVERFLYING THE OWNER'S (WITNESS) HOME UNTIL COMPLETING ALMOST 360 DEGREES OF TURN. AT THAT POINT, HE WAS OBSERVED TO COME OUT OF                     A STEEP TURN (APPROX. 45 DEGREES) AND DURING A CLIMBING TURN, THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY STALLED AND CAME ALMOT STRAIGHT DOWN.

## 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 NYC00LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA113), Apr 15, 2000: Piper J3C-65 (N42383), Lanconia, NH, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

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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