# NTSB CEN21LA204: Piper J3C-65, N26783, Slaughter, LA, April 26, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 26, 2021, 17:11 local (22:11 UTC) - Place: Slaughter, LA - Coordinates: 30.722925, -91.149641 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.7229&lon=-91.1496&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA, Piper Aircraft - NTSB case key (mKey): 102997 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA204 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102997/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102997 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA204 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined from the available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); 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) - [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: 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 and pilot-rated passenger were conducting a personal flight. Mud dauber nests were found and removed from the engine compartment before the flight, and no problems were noted with the engine during a subsequent engine run. The pilot stated that he checked the carburetor heat before takeoff. The pilot recalled a normal takeoff until the climbout. While the airplane was in a left turn, he felt the engine “surge” but assumed that the surge was associated with the wind. The pilot recalled turning the airplane toward some trees but did not recall what happened after that. A witness saw the airplane flying at a low altitude and thought that the airplane was struggling to fly. She stated that the airplane started a turn, and its nose went up, and the airplane then descended nose first into the ground. The witness thought that the engine was not running at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The propeller remained attached to the engine; one propeller blade was straight, and the other blade was bent aft about 20°. Neither blade showed any evidence of chordwise scraping or leading-edge nicks, which was consistent with little or no propeller rotation at impact. The airframe, engine, and magnetos were examined, and no anomalies were noted that would have resulted in a loss of engine power. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing at glide power. However, the investigation could not determine whether carburetor icing had accumulated during ground operations before takeoff. The available evidence for this investigation was insufficient to determine why the total loss of engine power occurred. ## Factual narrative On April 26, 2021, about 1711 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-65 airplane, N26783, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Slaughter, Louisiana. The pilot was seriously injured, and the pilot-rated passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he and the owner of the airplane examined the airplane about 6 months before the accident. They started the engine, but it did not sound normal, so they shut it down. Upon further examination, the owner found a mud dauber nest in the throat of the carburetor and removed the nest. No flight was conducted that day. The pilot and a friend (the pilot-rated passenger) returned to look at the airplane again and fly it on the day of the accident. They examined the engine and found two more mud dauber nests in the engine compartment, one of which was inside the scat tube that ran from the exhaust to the carburetor heat. The pilot stated the fuel tanks were full, the engine was started, and a full run-up was performed. The pilot did not note any problems with the engine. He cycled the carburetor heat as part of the before takeoff checklist. Before takeoff, the pilot noted some movement to the treetops nearby, but the windsock indicated no wind. The pilot elected to take off to the north. He completed a pre-takeoff check and another engine run-up before takeoff. The pilot recalled a normal takeoff initially. During the climbout, the pilot looked over the left shoulder of the pilot-rated passenger (who was in the front seat) and noted that the airplane’s airspeed was about 50 knots and that the tachometer indicated about 2,500 rpm; at that time, he felt the airplane “surge.” The pilot recalled attributing the surge to the wind and started a small left turn toward some trees with lower treetops. That was the pilot’s last memory of the accident flight. A witness saw the airplane flying from south to north at a low altitude and thought that the airplane was “drifting” and about to crash. The airplane started a turn, its nose “went up sharply,” and the airplane then descended nose first into the ground. The witness thought that the engine was not running at the time of the crash. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The engine was pushed up and aft into the forward cabin. The propeller remained attached to the engine; one propeller blade was straight, the other blade was bent aft about 20°, and neither blade exhibited chordwise scraping or leading edge nicks. The airframe, engine, and magnetos were examined, and no anomalies were noted. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N26783](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N26783-2022-05-07), registration cancelled 2022-05-07, S/N 4223, built 1940 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3C-65 - Registry model: [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (registry code 7100510) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4223 - Year built: 1940 - Airframe hours: 999 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 18, 2020 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: LS77, Magnolia Airpark ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: serious; commercial, remote; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed; seat: rear; flight hours: 2,629 total - Co-pilot; age 68; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 2,282 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KBTR, 11 nm away - METAR: KBTR 262153Z 12009KT 10SM CLR 28/14 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP144 T02780139 ## 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 20210426007279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210426007279A), Apr 26, 2021: Piper J3C-65, Slaughter, LA, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. Aircraft took off to the north. Upon rotation aircraft was steered left. Immediately with aircraft trying to climb engine started sputtering. Aircraft veered… ## Other investigations on N26783 (1) 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. - [NTSB FTW66F0674](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW66F0674), May 19, 1966: Piper J3C-65 (N26783), Crowville, LA, substantial damage ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102997. 7.1 MB in all. - Record of conversation - pilot (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14562748&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Phone%20Conversation-Capone-Rel.pdf - Pilot written statement (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14454434&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Written%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 90 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14030480&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Charlotte%20Delatorre%20Witness%20Statement%20of%20Plane%20Crash_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14466352&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20CEN21LA204-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing chart (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 121 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14560020&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=InkedSAIB%20CE-95%20Icing%20Chart_LI-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination notes (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 126 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14560424&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20CEN21LA204%20Wreckage%20Examination%20Notes-Rel.pdf - Magneto examination notes (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14560862&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Magneto%20Examination-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 8, PDF, 2 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14563017&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Signed%20wreckage%20release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memo for record - pilot-rated passenger autopsy and toxicology (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14854844&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Passenger%20Autopsy%20and%20Toxicology-Rel.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.