FTW04LA211

A 394-hour non-instrument rated private pilot departed from the runway, made a right turn, and subsequently impacted 30 to 40 foot pine trees. The airplane came to rest on the ground in a nose low attitude, in a right bank, approximately 1,888 feet northeast of the departure end of the runway. In a written statement, the passenger, who was the pilot's wife, reported that it was "very dark," and upon takeoff they realized that "there was no visible horizon due to the prevailing clouds." She added that she assisted her husband by holding a flashlight which illuminated the instrument panel during the short flight. She also reported that the pilot has no memory of the accident or the month following the accident.

At 0030 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane, N6326B, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during initial takeoff climb near Abita Springs, Louisiana. The non-instrument rated private pilot was seriously injured, and his passenger sustained minor injuries. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the 26-nautical mile cross-country flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the St. Tammany Regional Airport (L31), near Covington, Louisiana, at about 0025, with the Lakefront Airport (NEW), near New Orleans, Louisiana, as it intended destination.

According to a written statement submitted by the aircraft owner, the pilot and his wife had arrived at L31 approximately 1930 to assist him with some electrical work in his hangar. Approximately 0015, the pilot obtained a weather briefing from the flight service station and reported, " The weather was fine." The owner illuminated the airplane with the headlights of his car while the pilot preflighted the airplane. The owner stayed during the engine run-up and reported, "the engine sounded fine." He watched the airplane takeoff and noticed that it looked "a little lower than usual." A short time later, as the owner began to drive away, he heard a sound "similar to thunder" that concerned him. Several minutes later, he saw emergency vehicles. This is when he realized that the airplane had crashed.

Local authorities reported that the airplane departed from runway 36 at L31, made a right turn, and subsequently impacted 30 to 40 foot pine trees on a measured heading of 097 degrees. The wreckage of the 1979-model airplane came to rest on the ground in a nose low attitude, in a right bank, approximately 1,888 feet northeast of the departure end of runway 36.

In a written statement, the passenger, who was the pilot's wife, reported that it was "very dark," and upon takeoff they realized that "there was no visible horizon." She added that she assisted her husband by holding a flashlight that illuminated the instrument panel during the short flight. She also reported that the pilot has no memory of the accident or the month following the accident.

A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated a total of 394 flight hours, of which over 70 hours were conducted at night.

In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the above mentioned aircraft owner and his wife, who were at the airport when the airplane took off, reported that "the weather had been very bad prior to the pilot's departure," and it was "very dark out."

Examination of the airplane by the FAA Inspector, who reported to the accident site, revealed that the flaps were in the retracted position at the time of impact. The inspector also confirmed flight control continuity and the presence of fuel.

At 2353, the automated weather observing system at Slidell Airport (ASD), near Slidell, Louisiana, located approximately 16 miles southeast of the accident site, reported no wind, 7 statute miles visibility, overcast clouds at 800 feet, temperature 79 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 29.97 inches of Mercury. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the phase of the moon was a waning crescent with 25 percent of the moon's visible disk illuminated.