Lakefront Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Orleans, Louisiana 70184
Sunday, March 12, 1989 11:17 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

JUST AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 36 RIGHT, THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO TURN LEFT TO 320 DEGS, WHICH THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED. HE WAS THEN TOLD TO CONTACT DEPARTURE CONTROL, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. HE WAS CALLING DEPARTURE CONTROL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE WATER APPROXIMATELY 4,000' FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS INDEFINATE, SKY OBSCURED, 1/8 MILE VISIBILITY IN FOG. NO AIRCRAFT FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DIVERTING HIS ATTENTION FROM FLYING THE AIRCRAFT WHILE COMPLYING WITH THE DEPARTURE CONTROL INSTRUCTIONS, AND ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND INTO THE WATER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/12/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1117
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City NEW ORLEANS
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70184
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKEFRONT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NEW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 9
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1125 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID NEW
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 948
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 12 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1420
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39061
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8369K
NTSB Number FTW89FA065
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8116199
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 21 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 552
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLOYD C. RUSSELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 920 BONNABEL BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City METAIRIE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70005
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RUSSELL, FLOYD C.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 920 BONNABEL BLVD.
Operator City METAIRIE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70005
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code NEW
Departure City NEW ORLEANS
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1117
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3R7
Destination City JENNINGS
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36R
Runway Length 3699
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --