# Accident 20201023018139A: Piper J3C-65, El Cajon, CA, October 23, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 23, 2020, 15:51 local time
- Place: El Cajon, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8216° N, 116.9293° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8216&lon=-116.9293&mi=10
- Aircraft: N98615, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N98615) (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 J3C-65
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR21LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA022) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201023018139A

## Narrative

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

I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH THE PILOT OF N98615, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CONCERNING HIS ACCIDENT ON 10/23/2020.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^IMMEDIATELY ADMITTED THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF GAS.  I ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE HAD DONE A PREFLIGHT OF HIS AIRCRAFT AND NOTED THAT THE FUEL FLOATS INDICATED THAT THE TANKS WERE FULL.  HE ALSO LOOKED IN A SEPARATE BOOK HE KEEPS TO TRACK WHEN HE LAST FUELED, THAT HE HAD ONLY FLOWN .4 HOURS.  HE WENT OUT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT, ON HIS WAY BACK TO GILLISPIE AIRPORT (KSEE), HE NOTICED THAT HIS FUEL TANK FLOATS NOW READ EMPTY.  WELLS SAID HE COULD SEE KSEE AND WAS PREPARING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17 DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE WAS SO CLOSE TO THAT RUNWAY.  HE CONTACTED KSEE TOWER.  THE TOWER TOLD HIM TO FOLLOW A BEECH DUCHESS ON FINAL FOR 27R.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE BEGAN FOLLOWING TRAFFIC FOR THE OTHER RUNWAY (27R) AND THEN RAN OUT OF GAS. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SCHOOLYARD ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT.  WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN IN THE SCHOOLYARD HE NOTICED A FENCE COMING UP QUICKLY. HE DECIDED TO GROUND LOOP THE AIRCRAFT TO STOP IT PRIOR TO THE FENCE.  THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFTS RIGHT WING TO STRIKE A PORTION OF THE FENCE.  THE RIGHT WING MAIN SPAR WAS DAMAGED.

I ASKED THE PILOT WHY HE DID NOT LET TOWER KNOW THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL WHEN HE WAS ABEAM RUNWAY 17.  HE STATED THAT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT IT, WHEN HE WAS ASKED TO FOLLOW THE AIRCRAFT ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 27R AND ?LOST HIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT.?  I ASKED HIM TO CLARIFY HOW HE NORMALLY DOES HIS PREFLIGHT.  HE STATED THAT HE NORMALLY  CHECKS HIS FUEL INDICATORS, OPENS THE TANKS, AND DIPS THEM WITH A STICK.  ON THIS PREFLIGHT, HE SAID HE ONLY CHECKED HIS FUEL INDICATORS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE DID NOT OPEN THE TANKS AND DIP THE TANKS WITH THE STICK, PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT.

## 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 WPR21LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA022), Oct 23, 2020: Piper J3-C65 (N98615), El Cajon, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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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