# Accident 20090712011859A: Piper J3C65, Porter, TX, July 12, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 12, 2009, 19:35 local time
- Place: Porter, TX
- Airport: Williams
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.2000° N, 95.5514° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2000&lon=-95.5514&mi=10
- Aircraft: N70455, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N70455) (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
- Reported engine: CONT A758
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,874 total, 200 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN09CA431](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA431) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090712011859A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF POWER, TRY'S TO LAND ON SAND BAR NEXT SAN JACINTO RIVER, AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CAUGHT ELECTRICAL WIRE THAT CROSSED SAN JANCINTO RIVER, CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO HIT GROUND AND SNAPPING OFF ONE OF THE TELEPHONE POLES SUPPORTING THE WIRE.  RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED FIRST DAMAGING IT BACK TO THE SPAR, FOLLOWED BY PROPELLER STRIKING NEXT (ONE BLADE OF THE PROP WAS DAMAGED ALONG THE LEADING EDGE, LEFT WING LEADING EDGE, DAMAGED BY WIRE, JUST INBOARD OF STRUT ATTACH POINT.  AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED, WITH WIRE WRAPPED AROUND LANDING GEAR, ALL PLEXIGLASS BROKEN.  TWO PERSONS ONBOARD AIRCRAFT, PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER.  FUSELAGE BENT AT LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINT, AND TORQUED TO THE RIGHT IN RELATION TO THE WING, FIREWALL BENT AT ENGINE MOUNTS.  NO FUEL FOUND ON AIRCRAFT, AIRCRAFT WAS INVERTED FOR 12 HOURS BEFORE INSPECTION BY FAA (FOUND NO SMELL OF FUEL OR STAIN FROM DYE IN FUEL).

## 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 CEN09CA431](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA431), Jul 13, 2009: Piper J3C-65 (N70455), Porter, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The partial loss of engine power due to carburetor icing resulting in the pilot's inability to clear the wires.

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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