20071021831599I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper J3L-65 · Lamar, SC · October 21, 2007

Date: October 21, 2007 · 17:00 local
Place: Lamar, SC
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N30372
Reported as: Piper J3L65
Reported engine: Franklin 4AC176B2
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 422 total156 in this make and model14 in the last 90 days

N30372Registered now · Piper J3L-65S/N 4908 · Built 1940 Airframe modelPiper J3L-65 Engine modelLycoming 0-145B 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) On 10/21/2007 aircraft N30372, a Piper J3L-65 s/n 4908, was in cruise flight when the aircraft experienced a drop in engine RPM. The pilot then moved the throttles forward and then noticed a golf course in the area in case he had to make an off field landing. Shortly thereafter the aircraft engine went to idle power. The pilot then landed on the golf course. Upon roll out the right wing strut made contact with a golf cart causing minor damage to the wing strut and chipping a piece off one of the propeller blades. No injuries to the pilot and person on board or anyone on the ground. Possible cause was due to carburetor icing.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 10/21/2007 AIRCRAFT N30372, A PIPER J3L-65 S/N 4908, WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A DROP IN ENGINE RPM. THE PILOT THEN MOVED THE THROTTLES FORWARD AND THEN NOTICED A GOLF COURSE IN THE AREA IN CASE HE HAD TO MAKE AN OFF FIELD LANDING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WENT TO IDLE POWER. THE PILOT THEN LANDED ON THE GOLF COURSE. UPON ROLL OUT THE RIGHT WING STRUT MADE CONTACT WITH A GOLF CART CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE WING STRUT AND CHIPPING A PIECE OFF ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND PERSON ON BOARD OR ANYONE ON THE GROUND. POSSIBLE CAUSE WAS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING.