Piper J3C-65 accident near Homosassa Springs, Florida, March 14, 2024
On March 14, 2024 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1946 Piper J3C-65, registered N71093, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Homosassa Springs, Florida (Crystal River-Capt Tom Davis F airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to confirm the throttle position before attempting to start the airplane’s engine by manually rotating the propeller, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2024 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Homosassa Springs, Florida · Crystal River-Capt Tom Davis F · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65, built 1946 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N71093 · registry record · serial 18121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After refueling his airplane at an intermediate stop and while waiting to start the engine after an unsuccessful attempt, the pilot was approached by an airport tenant who offered some alternate engine-start advice. When subsequent attempts to start the engine failed, the pilot decided to attempt an engine start by manually rotating the propeller while the tenant adjusted the engine controls from outside the airplane. The engine subsequently started at a high rpm. The airplane departed from the chocks and struck an unoccupied parked airplane, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot was able to shut the engine down and observed that the throttle was in the “halfway position.” The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) start-up)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Powerplant parameters › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 207 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2023; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PCM Plant City FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KCGC
Weather report (METAR): KCGC 141935Z AUTO 28009KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A3009 RMK AO2
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA142.