Cessna 172N accident near Covington, Louisiana, October 17, 2011
On October 17, 2011 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N2401E, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Covington, Louisiana (Saint Tammany Regional airport). It was a banner-towing 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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a banner drop, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2011 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Louisiana · Saint Tammany Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2401E · no longer on the register · serial 17271268
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a local banner towing flight, the pilot returned to the airport to drop the banner. With the flaps extended 10 degrees, the pilot maneuvered the airplane about 200 feet above the runway and slowed to an airspeed of 60 knots. After attempting to release the banner, the pilot added full engine power and felt a surge or deceleration from the engine. As the pilot reached down and pulled the banner release handle a second time, thinking the banner had not released, the airplane’s left wing and nose dropped. The pilot was able to recover to a level attitude; however, before the descent could be arrested, the airplane impacted the ground and nosed over. The airplane’s left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage during the impact. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,735 hours in all; 567 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,097 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Reldan INC
The flight
- Departed from: L31 Covington LA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: L31 Covington LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,999 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from ASD, 16 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2401E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.