20160624009859I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper J3C-65 · Tipton, IN · June 24, 2016

Date: June 24, 2016 · 17:30 local
Place: Tipton, IN
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N78407
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental A&C65 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 10 in this make and model

N78407Registered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 23148 · Built 1947 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 Engine modelContinental A&C65 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.

On June 24, 2016 at approximately 1700 hours eastern standard time (2100 z), a Piper, J3C-65, N78407, landed in a farm field in Tipton, IN. The pilot and sole occupant was uninjured. There was no post crash fire. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight under the provision of 14 code of federal regulation part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed.

The pilot observed a lagging engine response and a progressive lack of power. Prior to a possible complete engine failure, he elected to execute a precautionary landing in a farm field.

The aircraft sustained left wing strut and engine cowling damage.

The engine was operated on the ground after the incident. Fuel flow was normal and the engine ran smoothly. The fuel was strained and tested. No contamination noted. It is likely that the lagging engine response and lack of power was due to carburetor icing. The pilot made no attempt to pull on carburetor heat.

As the FAA filed it

ON JUNE 24, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 HOURS EASTERN STANDARD TIME (2100 Z), A PIPER, J3C-65, N78407, LANDED IN A FARM FIELD IN TIPTON, IN. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WAS UNINJURED. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISION OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATION PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.

THE PILOT OBSERVED A LAGGING ENGINE RESPONSE AND A PROGRESSIVE LACK OF POWER. PRIOR TO A POSSIBLE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, HE ELECTED TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FARM FIELD.

THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED LEFT WING STRUT AND ENGINE COWLING DAMAGE.

THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED ON THE GROUND AFTER THE INCIDENT. FUEL FLOW WAS NORMAL AND THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY. THE FUEL WAS STRAINED AND TESTED. NO CONTAMINATION NOTED. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE LAGGING ENGINE RESPONSE AND LACK OF POWER WAS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING. THE PILOT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO PULL ON CARBURETOR HEAT.