Piper J3C-65 accident near Alabaster, Alabama, May 16, 1982
On May 16, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N42799, was destroyed in an accident near Alabaster, Alabama (Shelby County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Alabaster, Alabama · Shelby County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N42799 · no longer on the register · serial 15114
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 24,340 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,510 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 21A Alabaster AL at 2:45 pm
- Destination: 21A Alabaster AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 187°F (86°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.