# Accident 20201216021499A: Piper PA-28-180, Barksdale Afb, LA, December 16, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 16, 2020, 05:51 local time
- Place: Barksdale Afb, LA
- Airport: Barksdale Afb
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.5062° N, 93.6399° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5062&lon=-93.6399&mi=10
- Aircraft: N55168, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55168-2022-09-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 50 total, 20 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA089) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201216021499A

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 16, 2020 BETWEEN 0400 AND 0430 LOCAL TIME N55168 DEPARTED SHREVEPORT DOWNTOWN AIRPORT (DTN) WITH TWO SOULS ONBOARD. STUDENT PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FLYING WHILE CARRYING A PASSENGER WHO WAS NOT A RATED PILOT. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE IFR.

AFTER DEPARTURE RADAR SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED SOUTH TOWARD INTERSTATE 20 AND THEN EAST TOWARD BARKSDALE AIRFORCE BASE. AIRCRAFT ENTERED BARKSDALE AFB CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT MAKING TWO-WAY RADIO CONTACT AND REMAINED INSIDE THE AIRSPACE BEFORE CRASHING ON THE EAST RESERVATION OF AFB.

EVALUATION OF SCENE SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TREES FLYING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH WITH A DEBIRE FEILD BEING ABOUT 430 FEET LONG BY ABOUT 60 FEET WIDE. BOTH INDIVIDUALS WERE FATALLY INJURED.

## 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 CEN21LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA089), Dec 16, 2020: Piper PA28 (N55168), Bossier City, LA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The student pilot’s decision to conduct a flight during night instrument meteorological conditions and his loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was 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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