- Date
- January 22, 1996, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Belle Chase, LA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6034NCessna A185F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960122000849A
- Case key
- 19749
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent encounter with a ditch. The crosswind was a related factor.
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 pilot initiated a takeoff on runway 21 with winds from 100 degrees at 10 knots. During the takeoff roll, he lost directional control of the tailwheel equipped airplane. Subsequently, it came to rest in a drainage canal adjacent to the runway.
Factual narrative
On January 22, 1996, at 1215 central standard time, a Cessna A185F, N6034N, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during takeoff near Belle Chase, Louisiana. The airline transport rated pilot and the 2 passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated by Southern Seaplane Inc., of Belle Chase, Louisiana, as a Title 14 CFR Part 135 flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the air taxi flight to Lafayette, Louisiana. A company VFR flight plan was filed, and a weather briefing received for the flight.
According to the pilot and the operator, the airplane was departing from the operator's airstrip (65LA) on runway 20 with winds from 100 degrees at 10 knots. In the enclosed NTSB Pilot/Operator Report, the operator stated that "directional control was lost during the takeoff roll and the airplane came to rest in a drainage canal adjacent to the runway."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6034N
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18504293
- Airframe hours
- 8,461
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Lyle Panepinto
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 27, 1995 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- 65LA
- Destination
- LFT · Lafayette, LA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- 65LA · Southern Seaplane, runway 21, 3,200 × 40 ft, asphalt
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
- 29
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 700 in this make and model · 2,800 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NBG, 10 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.