Covington Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rayville, Louisiana 71269
Tuesady, August 27, 1985 11:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CONTACTED THE TERRAIN IN A COTTON FLD DURING AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT WHICH OCCURRED ON TAKEOFF. THE PLT WAS TEST FLYING THE ACFT IN ANTICIPATION OF POSSIBLY PURCHASING IT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN APRX 1/2 THE WAY DOWN THE RWY THE ACFT DID NOT APPEAR AS THOUGH IT WOULD CLEAR TREES AT THE END OF THE RWY. HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF AND DUMP THE 110 GALLON LOAD OF WATER ON BOARD. UPON CROSSING THE END OF THE RWY AT AN ALT OF 10 TO 20 FT AGL, THE PLT INITIATED A TURN TO AVOID THE TREES. DURING THE TURN THE PLT INTENDED TO DUMP THE LOAD, BUT HE INADVERTANTLY DEPLOYED THE FLAPS. THE ACFT HEN SETTLED INTO THE COTTON FLD. THE ACFT OWNER STATED THE PLT WAS BRIEFED ON TAKEOFF DISTANCES AND THE ACFT PERFORMANCE, HOWEVER, HE FAILED TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RWY FOR THE TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City RAYVILLE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71269
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COVINGTON
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 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29626
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N731LX
NTSB Number FTW85LRD04
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
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 A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18802988T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 30 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1274
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARCUS COVINGTON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 4, BOX 161
Operator City RAYVILLE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 71269
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone C
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --