20100513034509I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper J3C-65 · Ventura, CA · May 13, 2010

Date: May 13, 2010 · 18:00 local
Place: Ventura, CA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N98425
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental C90 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 496 total0 in this make and model62 in the last 90 days

N98425Registered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 18612 · Built 1946 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 Engine modelContinental C90 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.

Aircraft lost power at the beginning of a descent into santa paula (szp). Pilot elected to land at a site that made the final approach with the wind. His first choice, allowing a landing into the wind, had to many people near the area. His landing and approach was high and fast. Upon touchdown, the gear collapsed causing the left wing to contact the ground. Mechanic involved in the aircraft recovery effort noted that the aux fuel tank was full but he did not recall the initial position of the fuel valve.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AT THE BEGINNING OF A DESCENT INTO SANTA PAULA (SZP). PILOT ELECTED TO LAND AT A SITE THAT MADE THE FINAL APPROACH WITH THE WIND. HIS FIRST CHOICE, ALLOWING A LANDING INTO THE WIND, HAD TO MANY PEOPLE NEAR THE AREA. HIS LANDING AND APPROACH WAS HIGH AND FAST. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO CONTACT THE GROUND. MECHANIC INVOLVED IN THE AIRCRAFT RECOVERY EFFORT NOTED THAT THE AUX FUEL TANK WAS FULL BUT HE DID NOT RECALL THE INITIAL POSITION OF THE FUEL VALVE.