Pilot Debrief

PIPER J5C-65 near East Granby, CT — 2026-06-02

Investigation ongoingERA26LA225
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Date
2026-06-02
Location
East Granby, CT, USA
Airport
4B9
Aircraft
PIPER J5C-65
Registration
N331JM
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On June 2, 2026, at 1151 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N331JM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near East Granby, Connecticut. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that after takeoff, when the airplane was about 400 ft, he noticed the engine rpm drop slightly. When the rpm continued to drop, he turned to return to the airport. As the airplane descended to about 200 ft, the engine lost all power. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing in a farm field. The airplane struck a greenhouse and the landing gear partially collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The airplane was retained for examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Loss of engine power (total) · Takeoff
  • Loss of Thrust on Takeoff
View NTSB preliminary report

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