# NTSB MIA99LA131: Piper J-3C, N38272, Jackson, MS, April 17, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 17, 1999, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC) - Place: Jackson, MS - Coordinates: 32.28947, -90.179176 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2895&lon=-90.1792&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46123 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46123/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA131 ## 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 fall to earth. A factor in the accident was the sudden 'blossoming' by the air stream of the performer's jacket just before he lost his grip due to inadequate preflight securing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - safety system(other) - not installed (cause) - misc eqpt/furnishings,survival equipment - not secured (contributing factor) ## Analysis 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. ## Factual narrative On April 17, 1999, about 1055 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 affixed 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 10 minutes before the accident. According to the pilot, after his takeoff, he let out the 12-foot rope ladder and made his first pass down runway 34 in coordination with the pickup truck to calibrate airplane-to-truck speeds. This was a planned maneuver with continual radio contact between the pilot and driver and no transfer took place. Having successfully accomplished the speed calibration pass, the pilot repositioned the airplane for the live transfer pass. He put the ladder on the truck platform within the first third of runway 34, and the truck driver radioed that the performer "was on". The pilot pulled the ladder and performer off of and clear of the truck, and was climbing through 100 feet agl, when he felt the airplane lurch. He did not actually see the fall or what may have caused it. After the accident, he stowed the ladder, landed, and taxied to the ramp. He stated that the performer was a close personal friend, and they had performed the transfer four or five times during practice that winter. He further stated that the performer had recently purchased water skiing gloves to enhance his grip. According to an FAA inspector, an eyewitness to the accident, the performer was stationed on the truck rear platform, and had made the truck-to-ladder transfer about the midpoint of runway 34. The performer had both hands and feet on the ladder, the airplane had climbed away from the truck, and between 80 to 120 feet agl, as the performer began to ascend the rope towards the airplane, it appeared that the performer lost his grip. There were no abrupt movements of the airplane. The performer used no safety harness or retention system. The airplane conversion had been given FAA approval to be flown in the restricted category. After the accident, the inspector reexamined the ladder, hardware, and attach points. Nothing abnormal was observed. FAA approval for the airshow restricted operating limitations, and installation of the professionally constructed aerial ladder are included in this report under, Other Pertinent Forms and Reports. In subsequent investigation to the accident, the FAA inspector stated that a video tape of the accident that was supplied to the FAA FSDO, Jackson, Mississippi, shows that the performer's leather jacket suddenly inflates just before the fall. The surface winds reported for Jackson International Airport, about 7 miles east of Hawkins Field, for the time period, were 290 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The airshow pilot whose acrobatic routine preceded the accident reported that winds aloft were strong, but that, "conditions at the runway surface allowed a smooth touch down". Postmortem examination of the stuntman was conducted by Dr. Steven T. Hayne, M. D., Deputy Coroner, Rankin County, Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office on April 17, 1999. The cause of death was classified as blunt force trauma from a fall from an airplane. No findings that could be considered causal were noted. Toxicological tests were conducted at the Federal Aviation Administration Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The tests were negative for ethanol, carbon monoxide, and cyanide. Diazepam, (commonly known by its trade name, valium) and nordiazepam, (a metabolite of diazepam) were detected in the blood. Nordiazepam, (.106 ug/ml, ug/g) was also detected in the liver. According to Dr. Canfield, manager of the laboratory, the levels of diazepam and nordiazepam in the blood were below the limit of quantitation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38272](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38272), registered now, S/N 6898, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper J-3C - Registry model: [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (registry code 7100510) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90-8F](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-8f) (registry code 17181, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6898 - Airframe hours: 2950 - Engines: Continental C-90-8F 90 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: William A. Mccain - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 27, 1998, 50 hours before - Departed: HKS - Airport: HKS, Hawkins Field, runway 34, 5,387 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 1,250 total, 60 in this make and model, 1,000 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 16 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: JAN, 7 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990417019629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990417019629A), Apr 17, 1999: Piper J3C65, Jackson, MS, 1 fatal. 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,… ## Other investigations on N38272 (2) 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 ATL04LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA006), Oct 4, 2003: Piper J-3 -C65 (N38272), Jackson, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper us of flight controls during an attempted takeoff, which resulted in an collision with the specially equipped automobile. - [NTSB BFO91LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO91LA051), May 26, 1991: Piper J3C 65 (N38272), Quinton, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM A MOVING AIRCRAFT. 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. --- 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.