What happened
On August 1, 2025, at approximately 13:30 EDT, a Piper J5C, registration N28151, was involved in an accident near Rochester, New York. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
The flight originated from a private runway on the west side of Rochester. After a 30-minute flight to Whitfords Airport (B16) in Weedsport, New York, the crew added 6 gallons of fuel to the tanks. The pilot reported that the fuel sight gauges indicated full tanks upon departure.
During the return flight, approximately 20 minutes into the trip, the engine began to surge, fluctuating between 2,300 RPM and idle. The pilot attempted to gain altitude during power recovery periods while searching for an emergency landing site. After the fifth or sixth surge, the engine lost all power. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a street, during which the aircraft struck the top of a tree before impacting the ground. The accident resulted in 1 fatality and 1 serious injury.
The investigation
The aircraft wreckage was found inverted. The leading edges of both wings were accordion-crushed, and the fabric on the wings and empennage was torn due to impact forces. The instrument panel was crushed, and the left aileron connecting rod was fractured by the impact.
Investigation of the fuel system revealed that both wing tanks were breached and empty. While the fuel gasolator contained dirt and debris, no mud dauber nests were found within the fuel system, though the fuel vent sustained impact damage. The engine's propeller, which was wooden, was found with one fractured and splintered blade, and the crankshaft was bent.
Mechanical inspections of the engine showed that the left magneto functioned correctly, but the right magneto was crushed and failed to produce a spark. The carburetor was fractured into multiple pieces due to the ground impact. However, a borescope inspection of all cylinders showed no internal anomalies.