- Date
- March 20, 1994, 17:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Leesville, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6537ECessna 175
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940320005989A
- Case key
- 19019
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
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 aircraft experienced a loss of engine power in cruise. Following the loss of engine power the pilot attempted to land on a road, but he was unable to do so. The pilot was able to land on an open field; however, it sloped left to right approximately 15 degrees. During the landing roll the left wing drug along the ground, causing the aircraft to turn left 10 degrees. The aircraft entered a baseball batting cage where it stopped against the backstop.
Factual narrative
On March 20, 1994, at 1740 central standard time, a Cessna 175, N6537E, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Leesville, Louisiana. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal local area flight.
In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot stated that during cruise flight the engine stopped abruptly. He further stated that he attempted a forced landing to a highway, but could not make it. He landed in a field that sloped left to right approximately 15 degrees and during the landing roll the left wing drug along the ground and the aircraft turned left approximately 10 degrees. As the aircraft proceeded across the terrain it entered a baseball batting cage and was arrested by the mesh fence of the backstop.
An inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the nose section and both wing spars. No anomalies could be found that contributed to the loss of engine power.
Numerous attempts to obtain a Pilot/Operator Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, were unsuccessful.
The aircraft was released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6537E
- Reported as
- Cessna 175
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 56037
- Airframe hours
- 1,476
- Engine
- Continental GO-300-A, 175 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Plush, Robby D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 23, 1994 · 31 hours before
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 308 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- POE, 32 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.