Piper J3C-65 accident near Rosedale, Mississippi, June 28, 2008
On June 28, 2008 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N42156, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Rosedale, Mississippi (Private Grass Strip airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilots to maintain airspeed following a reported partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2008 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rosedale, Mississippi · Private Grass Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N42156 · registry record · serial 14388
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the owner of the airplane, two certificated flight instructors took the airplane out for the purpose of getting one of the pilots a tail wheel endorsement. The owner stated that while they were on approach to the private grass strip the engine lost power due to carburetor ice, they applied carburetor heat but inadvertently stalled the airplane which “mushed” and impacted the ground substantially damaging the airframe, and separating both main landing gear. He stated that neither pilot was injured. Neither the FAA inspector nor the NTSB Investigator-in-charge were able to speak with the pilot's directly. However, the FAA Inspector was able to speak to their attorney. According to the inspector neither pilot would admit who was the pilot in command at the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during emergency descent defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,025 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dry Bayou Equipment INC
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Rosedale MS
- Destination: NONE Rosedale MS
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from HKS, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.