- Date
- April 20, 2010, 16:01 local (21:01 UTC)
- Place
- White Bear Lake, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N87792Piper J3C-65
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel contamination
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100420033029A
- Case key
- 75807
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel contamination as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he conducted a normal preflight, run-up, and takeoff. The engine stopped during the takeoff climb, about 150–200 feet above ground level. The pilot restarted the engine 3–4 times, but the engine was producing less power each time. The engine stopped and the pilot executed a forced landing to a field with trees in it. The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain. Postaccident inspection of the airplane’s fuel system revealed that the fuel line between the fuel sump (strainer) and the carburetor was full of water. The inspection of the airplane revealed no other anomalies.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he conducted a normal preflight, run-up, and takeoff. The engine stopped during the takeoff climb about 150 – 200 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot restarted the engine 3 – 4 times, but the engine was producing less power each time. With the engine stopped, the pilot executed a forced landing to a field with trees in it. The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain. The inspection of the airplane’s fuel system revealed that the fuel line between the fuel sump (strainer) and the carburetor was full of water. The inspection of the airplane revealed no other anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N87792
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15450
- Engine
- Continental C85F, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Pike
- Registered owner
- Robert Pike
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 6MN9 · White Bear Lake, MN
- Destination
- 21D · Lake Elmo, MN
- Airport
- 6MN9 · Benson Airport, runway 30, 2,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 76
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 400 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 25, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.