# NTSB CEN10LA416: Piper J3C-65, N35645, Krum, TX, July 14, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 13, 2010, 20:30 local (Jul 14, 2010, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Krum, TX - Coordinates: 33.305, -97.364723 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3050&lon=-97.3647&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report April 7, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 76696 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA416 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76696/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76696 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA416 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power in flight due to carburetor icing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was practicing flight maneuvers near his home field over and around a lake. He reduced the engine's power to idle while performing a descending turn and then attempted to add power to bring the airplane to a level attitude. The engine experienced a total loss of power and the airplane's altitude was too low for the pilot to reach the shoreline. The pilot performed a forced landing into the lake, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and opined that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any evidence of a preimpact anomaly. A review of a carburetor icing chart located in Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 revealed that the airplane was operating in an area that was conducive to serious icing at glide power. ## Factual narrative On July 13, 2010, approximately 2030 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N35645, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a body of water following a loss of engine power near Krum, Texas. The private pilot and airline transport pilot rated passenger on board sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed Bird Dog Airfield (TE58), Krum, Texas, approximately 1930. In an interview with the pilot and from his provided written statement, the pilot said he and his passenger had been practicing flight maneuvers in the local area. Before landing the pilot overflew a small lake. The pilot stated he began a slight descending turn with the power near idle. When he went to add power, the engine did not respond. During the loss of engine power, the pilot reported that the engine did not run rough or make any unusual sounds. The airplane was still over the water and the pilot did not think he could make land, so he performed a forced landing in the lake. The left wing was damaged upon impact with the water. The pilot stated there were no known malfunctions with his airplane and he attributed the loss of engine power to carburetor icing. An on-scene inspection of the airplane's engine ans other systems by a responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. A review of the carburetor icing chart located in the FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, dated June 30, 2009, revealed that the airplane was operating in an area that was conducive for the production of serious icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35645](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35645), registered now, S/N 6503 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3C-65 - Registry model: [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (registry code 7100510) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6503 - Airframe hours: 4849 - Engines: Continental A-65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2010, 18 hours before - Departed: TE58, Bird Dog, TX - Destination: TE58, Bird Dog, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 19, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 341 total, 159 in this make and model, 274 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 160° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: KDTO, 11 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100713040759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100713040759A), Jul 13, 2010: Piper J3C-65, Krum, TX, Substantial damage. On July 13, 2010, at approximately 2030 local, a Piper J3C-65 airplane sustained substantial damage after landing in a pond located approximately 4 miles west… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 26, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76696. 492 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 414 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337627&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photo: Airplane's left side (item 2, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337628&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Airplane%27s%20left%20side-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.