What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 6, 2006, at 1530 CDT, N7054H, a Piper PA-J3, was substantially damaged when the aircraft flipped over on its back during an emergency landing 3 miles south of Humnoke, Arkansas. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A flight plan was not filed. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated from a private strip one mile west of the accident site. The non-rated pilot, who was operating the aircraft solo from the front seat (the aircraft is retricted to solo operations from the rear seat only) was on a local pleasure flight in search of ducks. He reported being at an altitude of 300 feet when the engine began running rough; subsequently losing all power. During the investigation it appeared the aircraft may have been completely depleted of fuel. The owner of the aircraft was unable to produce sufficient maintenance records to substantiate regulatory compliance.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 6, 2006, AT 1530 CDT, N7054H, A PIPER PA-J3, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING 3 MILES SOUTH OF HUMNOKE, ARKANSAS. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE STRIP ONE MILE WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE NON-RATED PILOT, WHO WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT SOLO FROM THE FRONT SEAT (THE AIRCRAFT IS RETRICTED TO SOLO OPERATIONS FROM THE REAR SEAT ONLY) WAS ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT IN SEARCH OF DUCKS. HE REPORTED BEING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH; SUBSEQUENTLY LOSING ALL POWER. DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT APPEARED THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY DEPLETED OF FUEL. THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO PRODUCE SUFFICIENT MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO SUBSTANTIATE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.