Amateur-built P-2 accident near Southside, Alabama, March 13, 1983
On March 13, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built P-2, registered N20KJ, was destroyed in an accident near Southside, Alabama (Southside airport). It was a personal flight 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
- March 13, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Southside, Alabama · Southside · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built P-2
- Registration
- N20KJ · registry record · serial 1975
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AEROBATICS OVER THE AIRPORT AT 400-500 FEET AGL. ON THE LAST PASS, HE HAD COMPLETED ONE ROLL AND WAS INVERTED IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SECOND ROLL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DOVE AT THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL AT ALL TIMES TO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED AT A 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN AMATEUR-BUILT BIPLANE COMPLETED BY THE PILOT AND ISSUED A SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE IN 1976. THE OPERATING LIMITATIONS ISSUED FOR THE AIRCRAFT PROHIBITED ANY AEROBATIC MANEUVERS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,516 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 3,516 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 20, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-GPU (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Southside AL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from ANB
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.