- Date
- September 9, 1985, 22:05 local (Sep 10, 1985, 03:05 UTC)
- Place
- Kraemer, LA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4793HMooney M20J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850909043959A
- Case key
- 21845
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
Acft was descending from cruise alt when it entered a radar lvl 3 thunderstorm and control was lost during a night VFR flt. The acft impacted a swamp in a vertical attitude with the rt wing leading slightly. The lft wing was found about 10' south of the main crater indicating that the acft was intact at impact. The plt had a storm scope installed that morning and had received a checkout on its operation prior to departure. New orleans TRACON had advised the plt of the presence of the cell along his flt path, but he did not acknowledge. Recorded radar data indicated that the acft was in a normal descent profile when control was lost and the acft entered a vert descent. The radar lvl 3 cell was probably accompanied by at least moderate rain showers and turb. The plt had received briefings from both fss and NWS and was aware of the possibility of isolated thunderstorms.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4793H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-0883
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Earl D. Boyce
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BPT · Beaumont, TX
- Destination
- NEW · New Orleans, LA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSY, 17 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.