Piper J3C-65 N7447H

Summary

On 9 May 1998 at about 17:45 local time, a Piper J3C-65 registered N7447H was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 May 1998 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Mesa, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.3404, -110.8903

Aircraft

Piper J3C-65

Registration

N7447H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Falcon Field → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX98LA181

Nobody was injured.

Failure of a weld in the engine's throttle control support assembly due to inadequate maintenance which was the ultimate responsibility of the owner-pilot. Contributing factors were the presence of rough terrain, the lack of a suitable forced landing site, and the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane, which the pilot owned and operated, experienced a total loss of engine power while descending for a practice forced landing. The pilot indicated that no adequate landing site was available within gliding distance, so he landed in the rough terrain of a dry wash shearing off both main landing gear. The airplane was recovered and examined. A clamp that had been welded onto a bracket which was secured to the engine case was found broken. The clamp/bracket assembly supported the throttle cable. When the weld broke subsequent movement of the cockpit throttle control had no effect upon the engine's rpm. The pilot described the weld as having been 'bad,' and it was not a Piper manufactured component.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.