Piper J3 N6732H

Summary

On 17 July 2006 at about 22:50 local time, a Piper J3 registered N6732H was involved in an accident near Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 July 2006 at 22:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

36.1219, -90.9214

Aircraft

Piper J3

Registration

N6732H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Walnut Ridge → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW06FA184

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and the subsequent stall. Contributing factors were the low altitude and impairment due to drugs.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 199-hour private pilot lost control of the airplane while maneuvering at low altitude. The local flight originated from the pilot's private airstrip. There no eyewitnesses to the accident; however, several people in the area reported observing the vintage airplane flying slowly, overhead at a low altitude several minutes prior to the accident. A post-impact fire consumed much of the tube and fabric airplane. A witness, who was working in the field, stated, "[the plane's] airspeed was probably 50 miles per hour, maximum, and [at an] altitude of 25 to 50 feet. They waved at us and kept on [flying] south." An inspection of the airplane found all major components at the accident site, and the fuel lever in the "on" position. Control continuity to all flight controls was established. The engine had sustained heat and impact damage. The propeller remained bolted to the prop flange; the flange was bent, resulting in an angle between the crankshaft and propeller. The left and right magnetos were removed and spun by hand; both magnetos would not produce a spark. However, both magnetos were heat/fire damaged. The engine was rotated by hand, thumb compression was obtained on each cylinder and continuity was established through the motor to the accessory section. Each of the engine's bottom sparkplugs were removed and examined. The sparkplugs were dark gray in color and found to be worn. No pre-impact abnormalities with the engine, cylinder assemblies or engine components were found. Toxicological testing detected tetrahydrocannabinol (THC - the primary active substance in marijuana) and tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (an inactive metabolite of THC) in the pilot’s blood at levels consistent with very recent use.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.