# NTSB NYC93LA147: Piper J3C-65, N98382, Stonington, CT, August 11, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 11, 1993, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: Stonington, CT - Location: 41.3306° N, 71.8954° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Stonington, CT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3306&lon=-71.8954&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report September 26, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38625 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC93LA147 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38625/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA147 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT WHICH RESULTED IN THE ACCRETION OF CARBURETOR ICE. A FACTOR WAS CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - fuel system,carburetor - ice - carburetor heat - improper use of, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Loss of control - in flight, descent - emergency - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE IN CONDITIONS OF HIGH HUMIDITY, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE PILOT SAID HE HAD USED CARBURETOR HEAT PRIOR TO THE MANEUVER. AFTER THE POWER LOSS, THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN AND REGAINED CONTROL BUT NOT IN TIME TO AVOID IMPACTING WATER. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING TO THE CARBURETOR ICING CHART, THE TEMPERATURE/DEWPOINT WAS IN THE AREA OF, 'MODERATE ICING - CRUISE POWER OR SERIOUS ICING - GLIDE POWER.' THE FAA REPORTED THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE HEAT APPEARED TO BE ON. ## Factual narrative On Wednesday, August 11, 1993, at 1945 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N98382, operated by William A. Whitmarsh, of Watford, Connecticut, struck the water in Wequetequack Cove, Stonington, Connecticut, after the engine lost power. The airplane received substantial damage and the pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91. In a written statement made to the Stonington Police Department, the pilot stated: ...I landed at the Old Stonington Airport, but before landing, I felt the engine hesitate, (believed to be carburetor icing). I applied carburetor heating and then landed the plane and dropped Sally off. I went back-up returning to the air, to clear the carburetor from icing conditions...I made 2 low passes over the airfield to check on my passenger. Once at 1000 [feet] I turned 180 degrees to the right and the engine failed. The right wing was already down, the plane went into a nose dive and went into a spin to the right. I corrected the procedure for the spin and recovered after 2 1/2 to 3 turns. I broke the stall about 30'[feet] above the water, and attempted to recover control of the aircraft. At that point I did not have enough altitude and consequently the right wing struck the water and the plane went out of control.... One witness, Mr. Donald Ascare stated, "...on one pass he was heading north toward RT # 1, pulled the nose of the plane up and banked steeply to the right. The engine speed and noise was low. I don't think the plane came up to speed. Shortly after this, I heard a thud.... Another witness, Ms. Cheryl Fisher stated, "...On the third circle the plane flying in a northerly direction comes down low over the trees on the side of the air strip. I saw the plane fly up again and it was out of my sight to the north...I heard a crash.... FAA Operations Inspector, Tim Olmsted, of the Windsor Locks Flight Standards District Office stated: ...Inspector[s] Olmsted and Labbe conducted an extensive inspection of the airframe and engine. All airframe components were fully functional at the time of the accident. While the engine failed to produce adequate compression during the investigation due to corrosion effects, all engine components were functional and no indication of an internal failure was found.... ...Mr Whitmarsh told Inspector Olmsted he was performing Chandelle and Lazy 8 maneuvers...[He said] that after retarding the throttle during the end of one maneuver, upon returning the throttle to cruise the engine failed to respond. Carburetor heat was applied before entering the maneuver that should have prevented the icing conditions.... Additionally, according to FAA Inspector, Mr. Bertrand J, Labbe, "...Carburetor heat box was badly damaged on impact, but appears to be selected 'ON'." The recorded temperature at Groton, Connecticut, was 68 degrees fahrenheit. The dew point was out of service for rec- certification. The reading could not be offically reported. According to the FAA controllers on duty, the dewpoint was between 60 and 62 degrees fahrenheit. According to the carburetor icing chart supplied by the FAA, the temperature/dewpoint spread would produce, "Moderate icing - cruise power or Serious icing - glide power." The pilot failed to complete the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 as requested. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N98382](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N98382), registered now, S/N 18567, built 1946 (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: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18657 - Airframe hours: 2500 - Engines: CONTINENTAL A-65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William A Whitmarsh - Registered owner: Leslie Haley - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 12, 1993 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, unknown; seat: rear; flight hours: 4,600 total, 1,600 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GON, 7 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 19930811029129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930811029129A), Aug 11, 1993: Piper J3C65, Stonington, CT, Substantial damage. Lost partial power performing aerobatic and low passes. Stalled. Spun partial recovery prior impact in water. 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.