- Date
- October 6, 1994, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Abbeville, LA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N95DMCessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941006033719A
- Case key
- 19283
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 pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions. A factor was the crosswind.
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
During a takeoff from a river the pilot was required to maneuver around a bend in the river. As he negotiated the bend, the aircraft approached an area clear of all trees and other vegetation. At that point a gust of wind caught the aircraft and it drifted left, striking the bank.
Factual narrative
On October 6, 1994, at approximately 1000 central daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 185, N95DM, was substantially damaged during take off near Abbeville, Louisiana. There were no injuries to the commercial pilot or his two passengers during the 14 CFR 91 business flight.
During an interview, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and the investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that during the takeoff from a canal he was required to maneuver around a bend. During the turn, his aircraft drifted left and struck the bank with the floats and "the aircraft flipped over," resulting in damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot further stated that as he was taxiing around the bend, "on the step," he approached an area of the bank that had been cleared of all trees and vegetation. As he came abeam of the cleared area a "gust of wind caught me and caused the airplane to shift radically left." He further stated that he "was unable to reduce power quick enough before going into the bank."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95DM
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18504319
- Airframe hours
- 4,056
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mi Drilling Fluids Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 17, 1993 · 439 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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,931 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LCH, 52 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.
Other investigations on N95DM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.