Piper / Laudeman J3C 65 N11188

Summary

On 26 November 2017 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper / Laudeman J3C 65 registered N11188, operated by Flying Hawks Inc, was involved in an accident near Palmyra, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 November 2017 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmyra, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Palmyra Muni (88C)

Coordinates

42.8839, -88.5850

Aircraft

Piper / Laudeman J3C 65

Registration

N11188

Category

Airplane

Year built

1945

Engines

1

Operator

Flying Hawks Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palmyra → Palmyra

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18LA038

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot’s inadvertent pulling of the fuel shutoff valve, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing into trees. Contributing to the pilot’s inadvertent pulling of the fuel shutoff valve were habit patterns he had developed from operating an airplane with different flight controls.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Two airline transport-rated pilots departed on a personal, local flight to practice maneuvers. While returning to the departure airport and on the downwind leg, the rear seat pilot inadvertently pulled the fuel shutoff valve, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. The front seat pilot attempted to push the fuel shutoff valve back in but was unable to do so. The rear seat pilot then conducted a forced landing, during which the airplane impacted a tree about 2,000 ft short of the runway threshold, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. Earlier in the year before the accident, both pilots frequently flew an airplane with a carburetor heat control that was in a similar position as the accident airplane's fuel shutoff valve. The rear pilot stated that he may have inadvertently pulled the fuel shutoff lever instead of the carburetor heat control. Therefore, it is likely that habit patterns developed from operating an airplane with different flight controls contributed to the rear seat pilot inadvertently pulling the fuel shutoff valve.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.