20240727013529A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Groveland, FL · July 27, 2024

Date: July 27, 2024 · 13:00 local
Place: Groveland, FL
Airport: None
Phase of flight: Unknown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N77522
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA24LA328
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental C85 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N77522Registered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 22014 · Built 1946 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 Engine modelContinental C85 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.

Airman departed williston airport with low fuel. Airman stated that his airplane hold 17 gallons of fuel. Airplane burns approx 8 gallons per hour. Airplane departed gore field in haines city and flew 1.5 hours to williston. Which would leave approx 5 to 6 gallons of fuel remaining. Airman stated that he attempted to refuel at williston but pumps were not working so he departed in a low fuel condition. Pilot encountered thunderstorm enroute back to gore airport. Pilot stated that he flew approx 20 minutes around the storm then as he was approaching his route the prop immediately stopped. Pilot stated that he had to effect an emergency landing that turned ito a crash.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN DEPARTED WILLISTON AIRPORT WITH LOW FUEL. AIRMAN STATED THAT HIS AIRPLANE HOLD 17 GALLONS OF FUEL. AIRPLANE BURNS APPROX 8 GALLONS PER HOUR. AIRPLANE DEPARTED GORE FIELD IN HAINES CITY AND FLEW 1.5 HOURS TO WILLISTON. WHICH WOULD LEAVE APPROX 5 TO 6 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING. AIRMAN STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO REFUEL AT WILLISTON BUT PUMPS WERE NOT WORKING SO HE DEPARTED IN A LOW FUEL CONDITION. PILOT ENCOUNTERED THUNDERSTORM ENROUTE BACK TO GORE AIRPORT. PILOT STATED THAT HE FLEW APPROX 20 MINUTES AROUND THE STORM THEN AS HE WAS APPROACHING HIS ROUTE THE PROP IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD TO EFFECT AN EMERGENCY LANDING THAT TURNED ITO A CRASH.

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 ERA24LA328Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportGroveland, FLThe pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.Jul 27, 2024 · Substantial damage