What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot enroute from jonesville, LA, (L32) with intention of landing at southern private airport (65LA). Pilot contacted new orleans approach for clearance into class b. within 10 miles of intended airport, pilot handed off to navy new orleans tower. Pilot cleared to proceed for landing at southern. Pilot request landing direction and navy tower states seaplanes have been landing to the south on the water. No further contact. Radar data shows varying altitude down to 2OO feet and lost targets. Track indicates pilot passed over and near airport twice. Witnesses indicated very low altitude. Aircraft impacted electrical wire poll and guide wire, igniting into flames. Aircraft came to rest in nearby intracoastal waterway canal. Investigation showed incorrect frequency in radios to activate runway lights. Airport is private and contains no beacon. Acquaintance of the pilot was waiting at the airport. Interview of this gentleman and his wife indicated no runway lights were activated. Some voice slurring and missed radio calls during review of ATC tapes, along with preliminary results of coroner's autopsy indicates the pilot may have been alcohol impaired flying too low in se arch of un-lighted runway.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT ENROUTE FROM JONESVILLE, LA, (L32) WITH INTENTION OF LANDING AT SOUTHERN PRIVATE AIRPORT (65LA). PILOT CONTACTED NEW ORLEANS APPROACH FOR CLEARANCE INTO CLASS B. WITHIN 10 MILES OF INTENDED AIRPORT, PILOT HANDED OFF TO NAVY NEW ORLEANS TOWER. PILOT CLEARED TO PROCEED FOR LANDING AT SOUTHERN. PILOT REQUEST LANDING DIRECTION AND NAVY TOWER STATES SEAPLANES HAVE BEEN LANDING TO THE SOUTH ON THE WATER. NO FURTHER CONTACT. RADAR DATA SHOWS VARYING ALTITUDE DOWN TO 2OO FEET AND LOST TARGETS. TRACK INDICATES PILOT PASSED OVER AND NEAR AIRPORT TWICE. WITNESSES INDICATED VERY LOW ALTITUDE. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ELECTRICAL WIRE POLL AND GUIDE WIRE, IGNITING INTO FLAMES. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN NEARBY INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY CANAL. INVESTIGATION SHOWED INCORRECT FREQUENCY IN RADIOS TO ACTIVATE RUNWAY LIGHTS. AIRPORT IS PRIVATE AND CONTAINS NO BEACON. ACQUAINTANCE OF THE PILOT WAS WAITING AT THE AIRPORT. INTERVIEW OF THIS GENTLEMAN AND HIS WIFE INDICATED NO RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. SOME VOICE SLURRING AND MISSED RADIO CALLS DURING REVIEW OF ATC TAPES, ALONG WITH PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF CORONER'S AUTOPSY INDICATES THE PILOT MAY HAVE BEEN ALCOHOL IMPAIRED FLYING TOO LOW IN SE ARCH OF UN-LIGHTED RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.