At about 14:00 EDT, a Piper J3C-65 crashed while maneuvering near Lanconia, leaving the two occupants seriously injured. The pilot reportedly took off from his fathers grass field and entered a right turn, 150 feet above the ground. After completing the turn the airplane pitched up, stalled and descended to the ground almost vertically. An investigator said a sample of fuel that was drained from the airplane after the accident was green and cloudy. Fuel examined in the gascolator resembled muddy water. The airplane had last been fueled in October 1999 and had not been flown since.
April 15, Lanconia, N.H. / Piper Cub
At about 14:00 EDT, a Piper J3C-65 crashed while maneuvering near Lanconia, leaving the two occupants seriously injured. The pilot reportedly took off from his fathers grass field and entered a right turn, 150 feet above the ground. After completing the turn the airplane pitched up, stalled and descended to the ground almost vertically. An investigator said a sample of fuel that was drained from the airplane after the accident was green and cloudy. Fuel examined in the gascolator resembled muddy water. The airplane had last been fueled in October 1999 and had not been flown since....
Key Takeaways:
- A Piper J3C-65 crashed near Lanconia, seriously injuring its two occupants, after stalling during a low-altitude turn following takeoff.
- Investigators found the aircraft's fuel to be severely contaminated, described as green, cloudy, and resembling muddy water.
- The airplane had not been flown or refueled since October 1999, strongly suggesting the use of old, degraded fuel contributed to the accident.
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