# NTSB investigations: Piper J3C-65: Off-field or emergency landing

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA26LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA105.md): Piper J3C · Brimfield, OH · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 1, 2026 · N5930V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat during descent in cold temperatures, which resulted in a total loss of engine power at an altitude too low for recovery.
- [NTSB ERA24LA328](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA328.md): Piper J3C-65 · Groveland, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 27, 2024 · N77522 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB CEN23LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA218.md): Piper J3C · Romeoville, IL · Incident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 27, 2023 · N6384H · Minor damage
  > The inflight failure of the propeller blade due to fatigue cracking from corrosion pits, initiating at the midpoint of the cambered face.
- [NTSB CEN21LA359](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA359.md): Piper J3C-65 · Gosport, IN · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 6, 2021 · N6269H · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to the failure of a cylinder exhaust valve stem, which led to a forced landing during which the airplane impacted terrain.
- [NTSB CEN21LA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA168.md): Piper J3C-65 · Justin, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 27, 2021 · N42769 · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
- [NTSB CEN19TA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19TA293.md): Piper J3C · Russiaville, IN · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Final report · Aug 25, 2019 · N49614 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to reinstall the oil cap after adding oil, which resulted to oil starvation and a precaautionary landing.
- [NTSB ERA17LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA281.md): Piper J3C · Green Creek, NJ · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 20, 2017 · N46286 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's exhaustion of the fuel supply in the selected tank.
- [NTSB ERA17LA275](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA275.md): Piper J3C · Salisbury, CT · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 13, 2017 · N98550 · Substantial damage
  > An improper replacement of the crankshaft by maintenance personnel, which resulted in a failure of the crankshaft gear and total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB ERA15LA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA287.md): Piper J3C 65 · Southside, WV · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 24, 2015 · N92653 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exhaustion of the airplane’s fuel supply, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s failure to secure the engine before the forced landing.
- [NTSB ERA14LA253](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA253.md): Piper J3C - 65 · Hopkinsville, KY · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 22, 2014 · N46777 · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilot to identify poor engine performance during the engine run-up before takeoff. Also causal to the accident was the mistimed right magneto and the poor condition of the spark plugs in the No. 4 cylinder.
- [NTSB CEN13LA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA193.md): Piper J3C-65 · Seguin, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 13, 2013 · N88313 · Substantial damage
  > The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be undetermined because an examination of the engine did not reveal any malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operation.
- [NTSB CEN11LA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA348.md): Piper J3C · Cypress, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 21, 2011 · N55754 · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.
- [NTSB ERA10LA437](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA437.md): Piper J3C-65 · Williamstown, NJ · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 21, 2010 · N209RC · Substantial damage
  > The partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to weak spark plugs on the No. 1 cylinder.
- [NTSB CEN10LA416](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA416.md): Piper J3C-65 · Krum, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 14, 2010 · N35645 · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power in flight due to carburetor icing.
- [NTSB CEN10CA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA211.md): Piper J3C-65 · White Bear Lake, MN · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 20, 2010 · N87792 · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel contamination as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
- [NTSB CHI08CA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA250.md): Piper J-3 · North Branch, MN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 10, 2008 · N42080 · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power as a result of oil starvation to the number one rod bearing and number one connecting rod. Contributing to the accident was the rough terrain.
- [NTSB ERA09CA543](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA543.md): Piper J3C-65 · Rosedale, MS · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 28, 2008 · N42156 · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilots to maintain airspeed following a reported partial loss of engine power.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7100510')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '440' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence?model=7100510

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