Piper J3-C65 N78521
29 April 2001 · Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 29 April 2001 at about 22:31 local time, a Piper J3-C65 registered N78521 was involved in an accident near Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:31
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States
- Coordinates
- 39.2964, -80.2281
- Aircraft
- Piper J3-C65
- Registration
- N78521
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- New Milton → Clarksburg
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- IAD01LA050
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to perform fuel consumption calculations and incorrect positioning of the fuel tank selector, which resulted in fuel starvation of the engine.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Prior to departure, the pilot performed a preflight inspection, and noted the airplane was full of fuel, about 12 gallons total. He then departed with the fuel selector set to the right tank, and flew for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. When he observed the right fuel gauge read 1/4 tank, he switched to the left fuel tank and continued the flight. About 1 hour later the pilot noticed the left fuel gauge read 1/4 tank, and he prepared for a landing. The pilot then aborted the landing and initiated a go-around. During the go-around, he turned to the right and the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field and the airplane was substantially damaged. Examination of the airplane revealed about 1 gallon of fuel in the left fuel tank, and about 6 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper J3 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Dec 2001 | Piper J3 | Livermore Falls, Maine, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Piper J3-C65 | West Fargo, North Dakota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 2001 | Piper J3-C65 | Annapolis, Maryland, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 2000 | Piper J3-C65 | St. Petersburg, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jul 2002 | Piper J3-C65 | Andover, New Jersey, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 1998 | Piper J3 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 2001 | Cessna 150 | Huntington, West Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 2001 | Piper 34-200T | Bluefield, West Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jan 2001 | Mooney M-20 | S. Charleston, West Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Jan 2001 | Whittman Tailwind DN-1 | Grafton, West Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Cessna 170A | South Charlesto, West Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 2001 | Cessna 172L | Parkersburg, West Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |