# Accident 20111129028039A: Piper PA-31-310, New Orleans, LA, November 29, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 29, 2011, 18:15 local time
- Place: New Orleans, LA
- Airport: New Orleans Lakefront
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.0386° N, 90.0236° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0386&lon=-90.0236&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6485L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6485L-2022-03-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-310 (registry code 7103102, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-310) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-310
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 9,500 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12FA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA088) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111129028039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT BECAME INCAPCITATED IN CRUISE FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES PRIOR TO LANDING, ALTITUDE AND EXACT LOCATION UNKOWN. POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK. NO KNOWN MEDICAL ISSUES. CURRENT THIRD CLASS MEDICAL DATED OCTOBER 17, 2011. ACCORDING TO AIRCRAFT OWNER OF RECORD, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE PILOT HAD A STROKE ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, INFORMATION INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED BY PERSONEL FROM THE SAN DIEGO FLGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE. NO RECORD OF A STROKE COULD BE FOUND IN MR. DOUGLAS WILLIAM JOHNSTON'S FAA MEDICAL RECORD, IN VIOLATION OF 14 CFR 67.403(A)(1). THIS INFORMATION AND THE PRESENCE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION IN THE AIRCRAFT FOR HEART RELATED ISSUES CALLS INTO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT MR. JOHNSTON REPORTED OTHER HEALTH ISSUES ON HIS APPLICATION FOR A FAA MEDICAL CERTIFICATE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO HIS INCAPACITATION.THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS NOT A RATED PILOT AND STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER FLOWN BEFORE, LANDED THE AIRCRAFT. AUTOPSY PENDING. SEE ATTACHED INSPECTOR STATEMENTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN12FA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA088), Nov 30, 2011: Piper PA-31 (N6485L), New Orleans, LA, minor damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's fatal cardiac event, which resulted in the inflight loss of control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's use of impairing medications and operation of the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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