- Date
- August 20, 1984, 10:32 local (15:32 UTC)
- Place
- Lafitte, LA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9786GCessna 180J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840820041679A
- Case key
- 21145
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses observed the acft approach an oil production platform located in a marshy area near the destination airstrip. They reported that the acft made an abrupt, steep left turn at 200 to 300 ft AGL, followed by what they described as an accelerated stall. The acft impacted the terrain in a nose down, left wing down, attitude. No preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The plt's blood/alcohol level was 0.211%.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9786G
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052286
- Airframe hours
- 6,485
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Datachem Corp.
- Registered owner
- Harvey Canal Seaplane Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 2, 1984 · 64 hours before
- Departed
- LA14 · Harvey, LA
- Destination
- Bayou St. Denis, LA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.