Piper PA-28-161 accident near Houma, Louisiana, September 19, 2010
On September 19, 2010 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N436ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Houma, Louisiana (Houma Terrabonne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the crosswind while landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2010 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houma, Louisiana · Houma Terrabonne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N436ND · registry record · serial 2842213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the airplane encountered a crosswind and the pilot experienced a loss of directional control. The airplane departed off the side of the runway and the left wing collided with a runway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the leading edge of the wing. The airport's weather reporting station reported that at the time of the accident there was a crosswind of 8 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fly By Knight INC
The flight
- Departed from: KHDC Hammond LA
- Destination: KHDC Hammond LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,508 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from KHUM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.