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20010629026389A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Piper J3F-65 · Findlay, OH · June 29, 2001

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 29, 2001 · 17:42 local
Place
Findlay, OH
Airport
Priebe Airport
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N40782
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC01LA156
Reported as
Piper J3F65
N40782Registered now · Piper J3F-65S/N 7496 · Built 1941Airframe modelPiper J3F-65Engine modelFranklin 4AC176B seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft NC40782, a Piper J3, was attempting to depart the Priebe Airport (7D5) on 06/29/01, at 1742 local time. The take-off was normal until the aircraft reached approximately 100 ft. of altitude. At that point the engine quit. The pilot and eye witness to the accident both stated the engine backfired, then lost power. The aircraft descended into power lines and an electric pole. The pilot was not injured. The aircraft received substantial damage to the fuselage and landing gear. Initial investigation of the engine by the FAA investigator-in-charge proved that fuel starvation was not a factor. However, when the spark plugs were pulled out and the ignition switch was placed in the both position, no spark was present when the propeller was rotated. The p-leads were then disconnected from both magnetos. Again the propeller was rotated, this time spark was present at all plugs. The wiring between the magnetos to the switch were checked for continuity, checked o.k. the magneto switch was removed for inspection.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT NC40782, A PIPER J3, WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEPART THE PRIEBE AIRPORT (7D5) ON 06/29/01, AT 1742 LOCAL TIME. THE TAKE-OFF WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT REACHED APPROXIMATELY 100 FT. OF ALTITUDE. AT THAT POINT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT AND EYE WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT BOTH STATED THE ENGINE BACKFIRED, THEN LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO POWER LINES AND AN ELECTRIC POLE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AND LANDING GEAR. INITIAL INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE BY THE FAA INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE PROVED THAT FUEL STARVATION WAS NOT A FACTOR. HOWEVER, WHEN THE SPARK PLUGS WERE PULLED OUT AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PLACED IN THE BOTH POSITION, NO SPARK WAS PRESENT WHEN THE PROPELLER WAS ROTATED. THE P-LEADS WERE THEN DISCONNECTED FROM BOTH MAGNETOS. AGAIN THE PROPELLER WAS ROTATED, THIS TIME SPARK WAS PRESENT AT ALL PLUGS. THE WIRING BETWEEN THE MAGNETOS TO THE SWITCH WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY, CHECKED O.K. THE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS REMOVED FOR INSPECTION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC01LA156Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFindlay, OHTwo chafed ignition switch leads, which resulted in a failure of the ignition system and subsequent total loss of engine power.Jun 29, 2001 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N40782 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19860504015539ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Wauseon, OHThe aircraft ground looped on landing. Pilot failed to update weather briefing and landed in strong crosswinds.May 4, 1986 · Substantial damageAccident 19750820025609ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Blissfield, MILost ctl aftr bounced lndg acft entrd soy bean fld and struck standing corn in adj fld.Aug 20, 1975 · Substantial damage