# Incident 20070511009309I: Piper J3C65, Magnolia, TX, May 11, 2007

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2007, 19:25 local time
- Place: Magnolia, TX
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.2113° N, 95.7366° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Magnolia, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2113&lon=-95.7366&mi=10
- Aircraft: N32615, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N32615) (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
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,586 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070511009309I

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PRIVATE PILOT SAID HE WAS AT CRUISE POWER, 2450 RPM, AT 900 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE "CUT OUT AS THOUGH THE THROTTLE WERE CLOSED." THIS FORCED AN OFF-AIRPORT HARD LANDING IN A HAY FIELD. INCIDENTAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR CABANE STRUT, WHICH CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE, AND INCIDENTAL DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, AND NO REPORTED INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR TO HIS PASSENGER. AFTER THE FORCED LANDING, THE PILOT SAID HE DRAINED APPROXIMATELY 14 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AN FAA MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT TWO WEEKS AFTER RECOVERY, SAID THE CARBURETOR HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED WHEN HE ARRIVED, HOWEVER HE FOUND NO FUEL CONTAMINATION, OR WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND HE FOUND NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS IN THE ENGINE. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT THE REASON FOR HIS ENGINE FAILURE MIGHT BE BECAUSE OF WATER CONTAMINATION IN HIS FUEL (HE SAID HE USES 5 GALLON "JERRY CANS" FOR BOTH STORAGE AND REFUELING OF 100LL AVIATION GALOLINE). THE TEMP/DEWPOINT OF 23/18 C (73/64 F) IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ICING AT CRUISE POWER AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER.

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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