# Accident 19990417019629A: Piper J3C65, Jackson, MS, April 17, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 17, 1999, 10:45 local time - Place: Jackson, MS - Airport: Hawkins Field Airport - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.2895° N, 90.1792° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2895&lon=-90.1792&mi=10 - Aircraft: N38272, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38272) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental C90-8F (registry code 17181, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-8f) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3C65 - Reported engine: CONT C908F - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 1,250 total, 60 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA131) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990417019629A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON APRIL 17, 1999, ABOUT 1045 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J3C, N38272, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 AIRSHOW FLIGHT, LOST AN AIRSHOW PERFORMER BY FALLING TO EARTH FROM AN EXTERNALLY AFIXED ROPE LADDER, AT HAWKINS AIRPORT, JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED NO DAMAGE, THE COMMERCIALLY-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE PERFORMER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE SAME AIRPORT ABOUT 25 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, AN EYEWITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PERFORMER WAS STATIONED ON A TRUCK PLATFORM, AND HAD MADE THE TRUCK-TO-LADDER TRANSFER. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN THE CLIMB BETWEEN 60 TO 120 FEET AGL, AND IT APPEARED THAT THE PERFORMER LOST HIS GRIP ON THE ROPE LADDER. THE ROUTINE HAD BEEN GIVEN FAA AIRSHOW APPROVAL. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN IN AIRSHOW ACT. THE ACT INVOLVED AN INDIVIDUAL TRANSFERRING FROM A GROUND VEHICLE TO AIRPLANE. AFTER TRANSFER WAS MADE AND THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING OUT, THE INDIVIDUAL FELL APPROX. 150 FEET IMPACTING THE GROUND. (.4) THE AIRSHOW PILOT STATED THAT HE POSITIONED THE AIRPLANE'S EXTERNALLY MOUNTED 12 FOOT AERIAL ROPE LADDER ONTO THE TRUCK'S REAR PLATFORM, AS PRACTICED, AND WHEN GIVEN THE RADIO CALL FROM THE TRUCK DRIVER THAT THE PERFORMER 'WAS ON', THE PILOT STARTED A CLIMB AWAY FROM THE TRUCK. AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL, THE PILOT FELT A LURCH, AND THE PERFORMER LOST HIS GRIP ON THE LADDER AND FELL TO HIS DEATH. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE FAA APPROVED LADDER AND ATTACH POINTS REVEALED NO FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. A VIDEO TAPE OF THE ROUTINE REVEALED THAT THE LADDER PERFORMER'S JACKET INFLATED JUST BEFORE THE FALL. THE ACROBATIC ROUTINE PILOT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT STATED FLYING CONDITIONS WERE TURBULENT AT ALTITUDE, BUT CONDITIONS AT THE RUNWAY SURFACE ALLOWED A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING OF SPECIMENS FROM THE PERFORMER REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF DIAZEPAM, (TRADE NAME, VALIUM) AND ITS METABOLITE, HOWEVER, THE BLOOD SPECIMEN LEVELS OF EACH WERE BELOW THE LIMIT OF QUANTITATION. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA99LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA131), Apr 17, 1999: Piper J-3C (N38272), Jackson, MS, no damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the airshow aerial performer to maintain a grip on the airplane's externally mounted rope ladder for unknown reasons and his failure to install and use a safety line resulting in his… ## Other reports on N38272 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20031005031129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031005031129A), Oct 5, 2003: Piper J3C65 (N38272), Jackson, TN, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft was involved in an accident during an airshow performance of a car top take off and landing routine. The pilot stated that after performing… - [Accident 19910526063221A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910526063221A), May 26, 1991: Piper J3C65 (N38272), Quinton, VA, Substantial damage. Taxied into tail of homebuilt N949Z also taxiing for takeoff. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.