Cessna 182M accident near Albany, Louisiana, February 28, 2009
On February 28, 2009 at about 5:45 am local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N91593, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Albany, Louisiana (Hammond Northshore Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation after an encounter with marginal VMC and/or instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt the flight with the preflight knowledge of deteriorating weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2009 · about 5:45 am local time
- Place
- Albany, Louisiana · Hammond Northshore Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N91593 · no longer on the register · serial 18259833
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated private pilot planned to attend a skydiving event near the destination airport that began the next day. Prior to departure, the pilot was aware of the low clouds affecting the destination airport. The pilot told an acquaintance at the destination airport that he needed to make the flight that night because of deteriorating weather conditions that were expected on the next day. Marginal visual flight rules (VFR) dark night conditions with occasional misting rain prevailed near the accident scene. Nearby stations reported 10 miles visibility with the bases of broken clouds as low as 1,500 feet with overcast clouds above. Radar data shows the airplane was at a varying altitude of approximately 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when it began to fly on a meandering course for approximately the last 20 minutes of the flight. The airplane made several turns and descended with the last radar contact at 1,600 feet msl. A witness located about 2 miles south of the accident location said he heard an airplane make several tight turns and estimated the airplane was at 800 to 1,000 feet above him in the clouds when it passed directly overhead. Two to three minutes later he heard the airplane "go to full power" and it sounded like it was "in a dive for about 2 seconds" until he heard the sounds of impact. Radar information and witness account suggested that the pilot may have been disoriented in the marginal VMC flight environment. The airplane was substantially damaged by the impact forces, and subsequent examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute
- Loss of control in flight during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 285 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2008; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASD Slidell LA at 5:09 am
- Destination: MKV Marksville LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 am from HDC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.