Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thibodaux, Louisiana 70301
Monday, August 6, 1984 9:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 0729 CDT THE PLT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN AND OBTAINED A WX BRIEF FORECASTING MOIST UNSTABLE AIR WITH SEVERAL SCATTERED AND BROKEN CLOUD LAYERS BEGINNING AT 1,500 FT. THE BRIEFER FURTHER ADVISED THE PLT OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. AT 0855, THE ACFT DEPARTED AND CLIMBED TO 8,000 FT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, ABOUT 1/2 HR INTO THE FLIGHT A 'HEAVY LAYER OF CLOUDS' WERE SEEN AHEAD, AT AND BELOW HIS CRUISING ACT. A DESCENT TO 4,000 FT WAS REQUESTED AND GRANTED BY ARTCC. AT0926 THE PLT ASKED LAFAYETTE APCH CONTROL WHICH WAY THE WX WAS MOVING AND THAT THEY WERE IN SOME 'ROUGH STUFF'. FOR APRX THE NEXT 23 MIN THE ACFT REPEATEDLY ENCOUNTERED AREAS OF TURBULENCE VIOLENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL AIRFRAME DAMAGE AND RENDER SOME OF THE FLT INSTRUMENTS INOP. THE ACFT WAS VECTORED OUT OF THE WX AND TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. AT 0957 A WX ADVISORY WAS ISSUED WHICH WARNED OF A LINE OF LEVEL 3 TO 5 THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE ACFT'S ROUTE. HOWEVER, THE PLT TOOK OF AT 0900 & WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ADVISORY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1984
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City THIBODAUX
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70301
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HUM
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 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2670
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26614
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3594H
NTSB Number FTW84LA341
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20
Aircraft Series Identifier M20
Aircraft Serial Number 25-0428
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 439
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK E AUGUSTINE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 207 VALLEY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City HERMOSA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 NEW
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SPX
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 --