Piper J3-C65 accident near Church Hill, Mississippi, February 6, 1992
On February 6, 1992 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper J3-C65, registered N88380, was substantially damaged in an accident near Church Hill, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CLEAR HIS ENGINE DURING DESCENT RESULTING IN THE SPARK PLUGS BECOMING FOULED WHICH RESULTED IN 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
- February 6, 1992 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Church Hill, Mississippi
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3-C65 · all J3-C65s on the register
- Registration
- N88380 · registry record · serial 15998
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO IDLE AND APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT TO DESCEND. HE DID NOT CLEAR ENGINE DURING IDLE POWER DESCENT FROM 2,500 FEET TO 700 FEET. WHEN HE LEVELED THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY COUGH AND SPUTTER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE LOADED UP DURING DESCENT.
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: student
- Flight time: 133 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,228 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 1991; 49 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: HEZ Natchez MS at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from JAN, 32 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.