- Date
- May 16, 1982, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Alabaster, AL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N42799Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 16, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820516015769A
- Case key
- 69707
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During an air show, the aircraft was observed flying slowly over the runway on a southerly heading at about 200 to 250 ft AGL. Full left rudder was applied along with full up elevator and the plane entered a spin. After one turn, full opposite rudder was applied but the elevator remained in the full up position. The plane struck the runway on a northerly heading in about a 50 degree, nose low attitude. An examination of the aircraft and engine revealed no preimpact failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42799
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15114
- Airframe hours
- 1,510
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Don Smith
- Registered owner
- Don Smith
- Departed
- 21A · Alabaster, AL
- Destination
- 21A · Alabaster, AL
- Airport
- 21A · Shelby County, runway 15, 3,800 × 0 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 24,340 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Temperature
- 187 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.