On July 3, 1995, a Piper J3C-65 (registration N88631) operated by John D. Noling was involved in an aviation accident near North Benton, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: FUEL STARVATION FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a local test flight in 96°F heat, the engine lost power at 75 feet. The pilot lost control during emergency descent. Fuel was found in the strainer but not the carburetor; vapor lock was suspected but unverified.
Accident Details
A pilot departed on a local test flight. The outside temperature was 96 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pilot believed the airplane had not been flown in the preceding six months. During the initial climb, at an altitude of about 75 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted an emergency descent but lost control of the airplane.
Witness Observations
A witness observed the airplane descending in a nose-down, left-wing-down attitude before it crashed.
Investigation Findings
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage and reported that fuel was found in the fuel strainer but not in the carburetor. The fuel line was not blocked. The airplane had been serviced with automobile fuel and had been exposed to direct sunlight for several hours before the flight. The FAA inspector thought the power loss might have been due to a vapor lock, but this was not verified.
What happened in the 3 Jul 1995 Piper J3C-65 accident near North Benton, OH?
During a local test flight in 96°F heat, the engine lost power at 75 feet. The pilot lost control during emergency descent. Fuel was found in the strainer but not the carburetor; vapor lock was suspected but unverified.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 3 Jul 1995 involved a Piper J3C-65, registration N88631, operated by John D. Noling, at North Benton, OH.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
FUEL STARVATION FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.
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