# Accident 20030910027319A: Piper J5A, Winter Haven, FL, September 10, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 10, 2003, 14:00 local time
- Place: Winter Haven, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0575° N, 81.7628° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0575&lon=-81.7628&mi=10
- Aircraft: N33063, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N33063) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J5A (registry code 7100702, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J5A
- Reported engine: CONT C90*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 580 total, 120 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA03LA180](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA180) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030910027319A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 LOCAL TIME, MR. BIRD WATER TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT FROM BROWN'S SEAPLANE BASE INTO LAKE JESSE IN WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF PRACTICING STEP TAXIS, HE TOOK OFF TO THE NORTH. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ALTITUDE THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST POWER. MR. BIRD TURNED 180 DEGREES TO RETURN TO THE LAKE. MR. JON BROWN, THE OWNER OF THE BASE, SAID WHEN MR. BIRD FLARED THE AIRCRAFT AND IT STALLED APPROXIMATELY TWENTY FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER AND THE AIRCRAFT FELL OFF TO THE RIGHT LANDING ON IT'S FLOATS. THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FORWARD ATTACH POINT WAS BROKEN AND THE AFT ATTACH POINT WAS BENT REARWARD. THE FUEL LINES WERE DISCONNECTED AND THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES WERE CUT TO FACILITATE RETRIEVAL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE OUTBOARD THREE FEET OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING HAD IMPACT DAMAGE BACK TO THE SPAR. THE RIGHT WING STRUTS WERE BENT UPWARD AT THE MIDDLE. THE FUSELAGE TO RIGHT FLOAT STRUTS WERE COLLAPSED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL FILTER (GASCOLATOR) FOUND IT APPROXIMATELY HALF FULL OF WATER. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. MR. BIRD ADMITTED HE DID NOT SUMP THE GASCOLATER. JON BROWN REPORTED THE PILOT TOLD HIM HE FORGOT TO SUMP THE WINGS AS WELL. MR. BROWN REPORTED THAT AT NO TIME DID THE FUSELAGE ENTER THE WATER. MR. BROWN REPORTED THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAIN DURING THE PAST FIVE DAYS DURING WHICH THE AIRCRAFT SAT OUTSIDE. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRFRAME AND SENT TO ZEPHYR AIRCRAFT ENGINES IN ZEPHYR HILLS FLORIDA FOR TEST RUNS. THE ENGINE DEVELOPED NORMAL OIL PRESSURE AND AVERAGE MAGNETO DROP. THE ENGINE RUN WAS WITNESSED BY INSPECTOR ROBERT BLAKE FROM THE TAMPA FLORIDA FSDO (SEE ATTACHED INSPECTORS STATEMENT).

## 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 MIA03LA180](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA180), Sep 10, 2003: Piper J5A (N33063), Winter Haven, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate preflight of the airplane by the pilot-in-command, which failed to detect water-contaminated fuel, and his failure to maintain airspeed resulting 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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