# NTSB WPR24LA207: Piper J3C-65, N3627N, Scheelite, CA, June 19, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 19, 2024, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Scheelite, CA · box canyon - Coordinates: 37.31016, -118.71979 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3102&lon=-118.7198&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 194539 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194539/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194539 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA207 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadvertent entry to a box canyon where the airplane could not outclimb the rising terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Aircraft capability: climb capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010/cases.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 183 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010/cases.md) - [Terrain: high elevation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021025): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021025/cases.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021025/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: flight planning/navigation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025/cases.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 179 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Navigation error](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280/sequence.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper J3C-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=7100510), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the airplane and while flying through mountainous terrain, he mistakenly flew the airplane into a boxed canyon. He felt that the bigger engine would help the airplane climb over the mountains. He noticed the terrain was rising faster than expected but was unable to turn around due constrictive terrain. Realizing the airplane was not going to clear the ridge and concerned the airplane would stall if he attempted to turn around in the narrow pass, he looked for an area to make an off-airport landing. The pilot noticed an area that had a tree and elected to use the tree to take the brunt of the impact during landing. He reduced the airspeed and impacted the tree, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Additionally, the pilot reported that he was seated in the rear seat of the airplane and was not able to lean the engine due to the fuel mixture controls being located in the front seat of the airplane. He believed that the combination of high altitude and the inability to lean the airplane’s engine, degraded the airplane’s performance. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident site examination by local law enforcement revealed that the airplane impacted rugged, remote, mountainous terrain at an elevation 11,200 ft mean sea level (msl). The calculated density altitude was about 12,500 ft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3627N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3627N), registered now, S/N 22879, built 1947 (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: 22879 - Year built: 1947 - Engines: Continental C85-8F 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 3, 2024 - Departed: MOD, Modesto, CA - Destination: BIH, Bishop, CA - Airport: none - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: serious; private, remote; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 17, 2022; seat: rear; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,519 total, 6 in this make and model, 1,300 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 10 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 29.83 inHg - Observed at: KBIH, 18 nm away - METAR: METAR KBIH 192156Z AUTO 19010G17KT 10SM CLR 32/M07 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP052 T03171072= ## 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 20240619008249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240619008249A), Jun 19, 2024: Piper J3C-65, Fresno County, CA, Substantial damage. On June 19, 2024, the pilot planned to fly a newly acquired Piper J3C-65 airplane from mefford field airport (tlr) to prescott regional airport - ernest a love… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 12, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194539. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17389674&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of phone conversation - pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17391306&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20phone%20conversation%20-%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Record of e-mail correspondence (leo) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 121 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17392453&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20e-mail%20correspondence%20(LEO)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 338 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17389990&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR24LA207%20Photo%20array_Redacted-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.