- Date
- December 15, 1990, 22:23 local (Dec 16, 1990, 04:23 UTC)
- Place
- Olla, LA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8460QPiper PA28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901215054319A
- Case key
- 23239
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The collapsed carburetor float and restricted movement of the fuel metering needle. Factors were the darknight, the unsuitable terrain, and the operator's maintenance personnel failure to inspect (repair) the engine.
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
The airplane sustained a partial loss of power (mechanical malfunction) during the initial climb out from the airport at night. Witnesses reported hearing the engine surging as it passed over or near their locations. The airplane was flying over unsuitable terrain to the south and southeast of the airport when the pilot was forced to land. It collided with several trees as it descended then impacted the terrain. Examination of the carburetor revealed that one side of the floats was collasped and the 'u' arm was distorted which intermittently restricted the movement of the fuel metering needle. The pilot who rented this airplane just prior to this pilot reported a rough running engine on takeoff. The operator was notified. No record of any corrective maintenance action could be located where the airlane was taken out of service.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8460Q
- Reported as
- Piper PA28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8290056
- Airframe hours
- 4,532
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tillman Aero
- Registered owner
- Johnny W Levasseur
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 26, 1990 · 13 hours before
- Destination
- BTR · Baton Rouge, 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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 122 total · 20 in this make and model · 84 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AEX, 30 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.