Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arnaudville, Louisiana 70512
Saturday, February 4, 1995 16:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT, WHILE CIRCLING NEAR A FRIEND'S HOUSE, HE HEARD A 'BEEPING' SOUND, AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED 'DROPPING QUICK.' A WITNESS STATED, 'I HEARD THE ENGINE REV, IT LOOKED AS THOUGH THE PLANE WAS TRYING TO PULL UP, BUT IT CRASHED INTO THE TREE AND GLIDED INTO THE WATER AND SANK VERY QUICKLY.' AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT SHOWED THAT HIS BLOOD CONTAINED 0.289 MCG/ML OF DIAZEPAM (VALIUM) AND 0.364 MCG/ML OF NORDIAZEPAM (METABOLITE OF DIAZEPAM). VALIUM IS AN ANTIANXIETY AGENT AND MUSCLE RELAXANT, NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING. THE DRUG CONCENTRATION WAS IN THE THERAPEUTIC RANGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE CIRCLING AT LOW ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN (WOODED RIVER BANK). A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S USE OF A DRUG THAT WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/4/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ARNAUDVILLE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70512
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 193
Weather Observation Facility ID LFT
Elevation of weather observation facility 42
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 185
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 4 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6464T
NTSB Number FTW95FA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 17864
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 21 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 117
Airframe Hours 20346
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TAUZIN, AL M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1034-F ROBIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City ARNAULDVILLE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70512
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OPL
Departure City OPELOUSAS
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --