- Date
- December 6, 2006, 15:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Humnoke, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7054HPiper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Little Rock, Arkansasl
- FAA report
- 20061206025059A
- Case key
- 64966
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
The loss of engine power during initial takeoff climb for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The non-certificated pilot reported that he departed his private airstrip to the north to "ride over his farm." He added that he noticed that the engine was "running strange as if it had water in the fuel." During the initial takeoff climb, the engine lost power while climbing through 300 feet. The best suitable forced landing was a cultivated rice field, so the pilot attempted to land the tailwheel equipped airplane in the field. During the landing roll on the soft terrain, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in the inverted position. The pilot was assisted out of the airplane by his grandson, who witnessed the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained structural damage. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined. Weather was reported as clear skies with light and variable winds.
Factual narrative
The non-certificated pilot reported that he departed his private airstrip to the north to "ride over his farm." He added that he noticed that the engine was "running strange as if it had water in the fuel." During the initial takeoff climb, the engine lost power while climbing through 300 feet. The best suitable forced landing was a cultivated rice field, so the pilot attempted to land the tailwheel equipped airplane in the field. During the landing roll on the soft terrain, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in the inverted position. The pilot was assisted out of the airplane by his grandson, who witnessed the mishap. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained structural damage. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined. Weather was reported as clear skies with light and variable winds.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7054H
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20299
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental A&C65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Delbert E Brown
- Registered owner
- Triple B Farms
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Humnoke, AR
- Destination
- Humnoke, AR
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
- 79
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 20 total · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.