Piper J3C-65 accident near Ferriday, Louisiana, January 8, 1985
On January 8, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N1474N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ferriday, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- January 8, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ferriday, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N1474N · registry record · serial 23140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS OBSERVED IN SLOW FLT APRX 40 FT AGL JUST ABOVE STALL SPEED WITH THE ENG OPERATING SMOOTHLY. THE ACFT THEN STALLED AND IMPACTED IN AN APRX 90 DEG NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PLT WAS FLYING FROM THE FRONT SEAT. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 238 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental AC-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0R8 Ferriday LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from HEZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1474N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.