Piper J3C accident near Green Creek, New Jersey, August 20, 2017
On August 20, 2017 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1942 Piper J3C, registered N46286, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Green Creek, New Jersey (Paramount airport). It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exhaustion of the fuel supply in the selected tank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2017 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Green Creek, New Jersey · Paramount · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C 65, built 1942 · all J3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N46286 · registry record · serial G-95
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot stated that he filled the airplane's fuel tanks the day before the accident; he departed on the banner tow flight with an estimated 4.8 hours of fuel endurance. After about 4 hours of flight, which included 6 full-power climbs with banners, the engine lost total power. During the subsequent forced landing, the pilot switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank and attempted to restart the engine to no avail. The airplane landed in a marsh, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe and firewall. During postaccident examination of the airplane, about 1 gallon of fuel was recovered from the right fuel tank, while no fuel was recovered from the left fuel tank. It is likely that the pilot exhausted the fuel supply in the left fuel tank, which resulted in the total loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 615 hours in all; 507 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,517 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 2016
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290D2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Paramount Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: JY04 Green Creek NJ at 1:48 pm
- Destination: JYO4 Green Creek NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from WWD, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N46286 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.