What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 19, 2024, the pilot planned to fly a newly acquired Piper J3C-65 airplane from mefford field airport (tlr) to prescott regional airport - ernest a love field (prc). While en route from modesto city-county airport-harry sham field (mod) to bishop airport (bih) to refuel, the pilot encountered mountainous terrain rising faster than expected and could not maintain a sufficient climb rate to clear the mountain. Attempting to change course to avoid the rising terrain, the pilot ended up in a narrow canyon with insufficient space to maneuver. Despite looking for a place to turn around, the pass was too narrow, and the pilot was worried about stalling the airplane if he attempted to turn around. Realizing he wouldn't clear the ridge, the pilot searched for a spot to make an off-airport landing. He spotted an area with a tree, reduced his airspeed, and used the tree to soften the impact. The aircraft suffered substantial damage, and the pilot received serious injuries. The California highway patrol air rescue unit arrived, airlifted the pilot, and transported him to a local medical facility.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 19, 2024, THE PILOT PLANNED TO FLY A NEWLY ACQUIRED PIPER J3C-65 AIRPLANE FROM MEFFORD FIELD AIRPORT (TLR) TO PRESCOTT REGIONAL AIRPORT - ERNEST A LOVE FIELD (PRC). WHILE EN ROUTE FROM MODESTO CITY-COUNTY AIRPORT-HARRY SHAM FIELD (MOD) TO BISHOP AIRPORT (BIH) TO REFUEL, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN RISING FASTER THAN EXPECTED AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN A SUFFICIENT CLIMB RATE TO CLEAR THE MOUNTAIN. ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE COURSE TO AVOID THE RISING TERRAIN, THE PILOT ENDED UP IN A NARROW CANYON WITH INSUFFICIENT SPACE TO MANEUVER. DESPITE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO TURN AROUND, THE PASS WAS TOO NARROW, AND THE PILOT WAS WORRIED ABOUT STALLING THE AIRPLANE IF HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN AROUND. REALIZING HE WOULDN'T CLEAR THE RIDGE, THE PILOT SEARCHED FOR A SPOT TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. HE SPOTTED AN AREA WITH A TREE, REDUCED HIS AIRSPEED, AND USED THE TREE TO SOFTEN THE IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL AIR RESCUE UNIT ARRIVED, AIRLIFTED THE PILOT, AND TRANSPORTED HIM TO A LOCAL MEDICAL FACILITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.