Shelby County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alabaster, Alabama 35007
Sunday, May 16, 1982 15:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN AIR SHOW, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING SLOWLY OVER THE RUNWAY ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 200 TO 250 FT AGL. FULL LEFT RUDDER WAS APPLIED ALONG WITH FULL UP ELEVATOR AND THE PLANE ENTERED A SPIN. AFTER ONE TURN, FULL OPPOSITE RUDDER WAS APPLIED BUT THE ELEVATOR REMAINED IN THE FULL UP POSITION. THE PLANE STRUCK THE RUNWAY ON A NORTHERLY HEADING IN ABOUT A 50 DEGREE, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ALABASTER
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35007
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SHELBY COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 21A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 86
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 929
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42799
NTSB Number ATL82FKJ12
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 15114
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 1510
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DON SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7703 LOGAN DRIVE, S.W.
Aircraft Owner City HUNTSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35802
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DON SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7703 LOGAN DRIVE, S.W.
Operator City HUNTSVILLE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 35802
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 21A
Departure City ALABASTER
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 21A
Destination City ALABASTER
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --