Cessna 172N accident near Natchitoches, LA
On August 17, 2014, a Cessna 172N (airplane) was involved in an accident near Natchitoches, LA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 17, 2014
- Place
- Natchitoches, LA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 31.736°N, 93.099°W
- NTSB ID
- 20140817X42440
Official records · CEN14FA435
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 17, 2014, about 1105 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N734YW, sustained substantial damage when it hit trees and impacted the terrain after a partial loss of engine power during the initial climb from the Natchitoches Regional Airport (IER), Natchitoches, Louisiana. The pilot received serious injuries, and the sport pilot rated passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Cane River Aviation, Inc., under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the flight, which was operating without a flight plan. The airplane departed IER about 1102 on a local flight. The pilot reported that he conducted the preflight and engine run-up with no anomalies noted. During takeoff, he rotated the airplane about 70 kts and the climb out was normal. About 300 ft above ground level (agl), the engine suddenly lost power and shook violently. The pilot scanned for potential emergency landing areas and decided to attempt to land in a soybean field that was about 135 degrees to his left. The airplane overflew the soybean field that was about 4,600 ft in length and impacted a line of trees at the end of the field. Security cameras located about 0.4 miles east of the departure end of runway 17 recorded much of the accident flight. One camera recorded the accident airplane during its initial climb after departing from runway 17. The airplane can be seen as it climbed to 300 - 400 ft agl and headed south of the airport. Another camera recorded
Probable cause
The partial loss of engine power due to the exhaust valve rocker retaining stud backing out of the cylinder head, which resulted in the exhaust valve being stuck in the closed position. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to configure the airplane and fly it in a manner that would allow him to make the emergency landing in the field rather than overfly it, and the pilot’s failure
More accidents in LA
- Sikorsky S-76C, Jan 4, 2009
- Cessna 411A, May 8, 1986
- Piper PA 31T, Dec 28, 2019
- Beech E90, Jun 24, 2005
- Bell 206L-3, May 10, 1994
Browse: Louisiana · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
