History of Flight
On June 7, 2014, about 1005 Pacific daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, registration N24918, collided with terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from Oak Country Ranch Airport near Paso Robles, California. The airplane was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 by the owner. The commercial pilot and a private pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight was destined for Paso Robles Municipal Airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Several acquaintances of the pilot observed the airplane lift off and bank right while climbing. The bank angle steepened until the wings were vertical, and the airplane appeared very slow; it then pitched nose-down toward the ground. Terrain prevented them from seeing the ground impact. The airplane came to rest about 500 feet west of the midpoint of the runway. Some acquaintances with medical training responded immediately.
A caretaker at the ranch noted that most takeoffs were to the left at the end of the runway; the few to the right were also at the end. This departure occurred near the midpoint, which he had not seen before.
Personnel Information
The first pilot, age 66, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, instrument airplane, and lighter-than-air balloon. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and multiengine land. He had a second-class medical certificate issued September 11, 2013, with limitations for corrective lenses. His reported total flight time was 4,300 hours, with 80 hours in the previous 6 months.
The second pilot, age 82, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, glider, and instrument airplane. He held a limited third-class medical certificate issued January 26, 2012, which expired January 31, 2014. He was flying a light-sport aircraft and was medically eligible if he had a valid driver's license and complied with 14 CFR 61.53. His logbook showed 6.1 hours in four flights between April and May 2014. He reported 7,500 total hours and 30 hours in the previous 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a high-wing, single-engine Piper J3C-65, serial number 3535, with fixed conventional landing gear, manufactured in 1939. Total airframe time was 1,763 hours at the most recent annual inspection on June 6, 2014. The tachometer read 163.69 at inspection and 172.98 at the accident site. The airframe was reassembled with numerous new components in March 2013. The engine was a Continental Motors A65-8, serial number 4678168, with total time 1,016.35 hours and time since major overhaul 49.45 hours.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The first identified point of contact was a ground scar under the engine. There was no debris path; all wreckage was contained at the impact site. The fuselage orientation was 272 degrees. The airplane came to rest on its left side in an open grassy field adjacent to the runway. The left wing was crumpled its entire length with substantial buckling at the wing root. The left aileron was buckled. The left main landing gear was crushed under the fuselage; the right main landing gear was intact.
Investigators left the engine in place and manually rotated the crankshaft; it rotated freely. A borescope inspection revealed no mechanical deformation. Thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. The ignition harness was damaged. Both magnetos produced spark at all posts when rotated.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies performed by the San Luis Obispo County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death for both pilots as blunt force injuries. Toxicological tests for the first pilot found no carbon monoxide, volatiles, or tested drugs; cyanide was not tested. For the second pilot, no volatiles were found; cyanide was not tested. Amlodipine and benazepril, both used to treat high blood pressure, were detected in the second pilot.