# Accident 20010429008089A: Piper J3C65, Clarksburg, WV, April 29, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 29, 2001, 18:30 local time - Place: Clarksburg, WV - Damage: No damage - Location: 39.2964° N, 80.2281° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2964&lon=-80.2281&mi=10 - Aircraft: N78521, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N78521) (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 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD01LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA050) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010429008089A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23)AIRCRAFT, CIRCLING A FRIENDS HOUSE, SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD. ON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARARTED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED INTACT AND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE PILOT RECEIVED BACK INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED. THE PASSENGER WAS TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AND RELEASED. (.19)ON APRIL 29, 2001, ABOUT 1831 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J3-C65, N78521, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE BENEDUM AIRPORT (CKB), CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA. BEFORE DEPARTURE, THE PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, SET THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, AND NOTED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL. HE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AND FLEW TO A LOCAL FARM WHERE HE PERFORMED SEVERAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, GIVING RIDES T O DIFFERENT PASSENGERS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLEW FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK UNTIL THE RIGHT FUEL TANK GAUGE DISPLAYED 1/4 TANK. HE THEN SWITCHED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AND STARTED A TIMER TO MONITOR HIS FUEL CONSUMPTION. THE PILOT CONDUCTED SEVERAL MORE RIDES WITH PASSENGERS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PICKED UP THE LAST PASSENGER, NOTED THE TIME ON THE TIMER AS 51 MINUTES, AND FLEW TO ANOTHER FARM WHERE HE INTENDED TO LAND. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, HE ARRIVED AT THE FARM AND OBSERVED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK GAUGE READ 1/4 TANK. HE PERFORMED A LOW APPROACH TO OBSERVE THE FIELD, AND THEN INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE CLIMB, THE PILOT INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TO SET UP FOR A LANDING AT THE FIELD, AND THE "ENGINE QUIT." HE LEVELED THE WINGS, AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING IN THE FIELD BENEATH HIM. THE PILOT REPORTED 320 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, OF WHICH 30 HOURS WERE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FUSELAGE, THE ENGINE COWLING AND THE LANDING GEAR. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 1 GALLON OF FUEL AND THE RIGHT FUE L TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 6 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE "OFF" POSITION, AND THE THROTTLE WAS IN THE "CLOSED" POSITION. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. ## 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 IAD01LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA050), Apr 29, 2001: Piper J3-C65 (N78521), Clarksburg, WV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to perform fuel consumption calculations and incorrect positioning of the fuel tank selector, which resulted in fuel starvation of the engine. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.