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20170813013369A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Salsbury, CT · August 13, 2017

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 13, 2017 · 17:00 local
Place
Salsbury, CT
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N98550
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA17LA275
Reported as
Piper J3C-65
Reported engine
Continental C90-8F
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,216 total
N98550Registration cancelled Jan 10, 2020 · Piper J3C-65S/N 18763Airframe modelPiper J3C-65Engine 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 August 13, 2017 at approximately 16:40 local, aircraft N98550 departed kgbr from runway 29 climbing straight out to the west with a pilot and student.

Approximately 20 miles south of kgbr at approximately 2800 feet MSL, on a westerly heading over the town of salisbury, CT, the engine suddenly stopped developing power. Up to that point there were no indications of an engine problem. The pilot immediately applied carburetor heat, pitched for best glide, confirmed that the fuel selector was on both tanks, and confirmed magnetos were on both. The pilot attempted to isolate the left or right magnetos to no avail. He moved the throttle back and forth with no change to the condition. He selected the left and right fuel tanks with no effect.

The pilot determined that his best option was to turn into the wind and head to a small field with a house nearby. Knowing the field was too small, he elected to accomplish a tree top forced landing. Before landing he made a mayday call on 122.8 and reported his position and intentions.

Just prior to impact he nosed the aircraft up in pitch and stalled the aircraft into the trees.

The tail caught a tree branch causing the aircraft to nose down. The aircraft came to a stop in the tree. The pilot turned the fuel selector switch and magnetos to the off position. Fuel was leaking from the left wing tank. The pilot and passenger exited the aircraft with minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON AUGUST 13, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:40 LOCAL, AIRCRAFT N98550 DEPARTED KGBR FROM RUNWAY 29 CLIMBING STRAIGHT OUT TO THE WEST WITH A PILOT AND STUDENT.

APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES SOUTH OF KGBR AT APPROXIMATELY 2800 FEET MSL, ON A WESTERLY HEADING OVER THE TOWN OF SALISBURY, CT, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED DEVELOPING POWER. UP TO THAT POINT THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF AN ENGINE PROBLEM. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE, CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON BOTH TANKS, AND CONFIRMED MAGNETOS WERE ON BOTH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ISOLATE THE LEFT OR RIGHT MAGNETOS TO NO AVAIL. HE MOVED THE THROTTLE BACK AND FORTH WITH NO CHANGE TO THE CONDITION. HE SELECTED THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS WITH NO EFFECT.

THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT HIS BEST OPTION WAS TO TURN INTO THE WIND AND HEAD TO A SMALL FIELD WITH A HOUSE NEARBY. KNOWING THE FIELD WAS TOO SMALL, HE ELECTED TO ACCOMPLISH A TREE TOP FORCED LANDING. BEFORE LANDING HE MADE A MAYDAY CALL ON 122.8 AND REPORTED HIS POSITION AND INTENTIONS.

JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT HE NOSED THE AIRCRAFT UP IN PITCH AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE TREES.

THE TAIL CAUGHT A TREE BRANCH CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP IN THE TREE. THE PILOT TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH AND MAGNETOS TO THE OFF POSITION. FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE LEFT WING TANK. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA17LA275Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSalisbury, CTAn improper replacement of the crankshaft by maintenance personnel, which resulted in a failure of the crankshaft gear and total loss of engine power.Aug 13, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N98550 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20110705013859ATakeoff: Climb Out · Egremont, MAOn July 5, 2011 at approximately 1748 local, the certificated airline transport pilot took off from runway 29 at the walter j. koladza airport (kgbr) in great barrington, Massachusetts. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. One passenger who…Jul 5, 2011 · Substantial damage