Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harvey, Louisiana 70059
Wednesday, June 1, 1983 8:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A NAVIGABLE WATERWAY, HARVEY CANAL, WAS BEING USED AS A SEAPLANE BASE. IN THAT AREA, A SET OF POWER LINES WERE SUSPENDED OVER THE CANAL BY 2 TALL TOWERS. THE LOWEST LINE OVER THE CANAL WAS 160 FT ABOVE THE CANAL SURFACE, BUT THE LINES DROPPED TO HEIGHTS OF DOWN TO 60 FT OVER LAND. THE NORMAL PROCEDURE FOR A SOUTH TAKEOFF WAS TO FLY UNDER THE LINESAFTER LIFT-OFF OR TO TURN & CROSS OVER THE LINES WHERE THEY ARE LOW TO THE GROUND. WHILE TAKING OFF, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB NORMALLY TO APRX 30 FT AGL, THEN BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. APRX 500 FT NORTH OF THE POWER LINES, THE ACFT ENTERED AN ABRUPT CLIMB & REPORTEDLY WENT TO A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. IT THEN ROTATED ABOUT THE LEFT WING & DESCENDED VERTICALLY INTO THE CANAL, IMPACTING APRX 100 FT NORTH OF THE POWER LINES. AN EXAM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT HAD BEEN GIVING FLT INSTRUCTION TO THE PASSENGER. IT WAS NOT VERIFIED WHO HAD PULLED THE ACFT UP, BUT THE PLT'S NORMAL PROCEDURE WAS TO FLY UNDER THE WIRES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 835
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HARVEY
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70059
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 755 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID MSY
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2328
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22663
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 N52072
NTSB Number FTW83FA259
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180J
Aircraft Series Identifier 180J
Aircraft Serial Number 18052480
Certified Max Gross Weight 3190
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 25 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 4190
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN ALES
Aircraft Owner Street Address LAKEFRONT AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City NEW ORLEANS
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70126
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARVEY CANAY SEAPLANE SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City GRAND ISLE
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 10:36AM
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 --