Piper J3C-65 accident near Pensacola, Florida, January 13, 1984
On January 13, 1984 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N42774, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Ferguson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 13, 1984 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Ferguson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N42774 · registry record · serial 15085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENG BEGAN LOSING POWER AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL. THE PLT APPLIED CARB HEAT & BEGAN A DESCENT. POWER WAS RESTORED FOR ABOUT 5 SEC, THEN ALL POWER WAS LOST. THE ACFT WAS LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A WOODEN SWAMPY AREA & WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 55 & 45 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, SERIOUS ICING CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,056 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 811 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,600 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from PNS, 11 miles away
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.