Cessna 172M accident near Covington, Louisiana, May 1, 2013
On May 1, 2013 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N8899V, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Covington, Louisiana (St. Tammany Regional Airport). It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during a banner towing operation, which resulted in the airplane stalling and landing hard.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2013 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Louisiana · St. Tammany Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8899V · no longer on the register · serial 17264257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a banner towing demonstration flight for a flight examiner, the airplane stalled. The pilot applied full-forward elevator controls; however, he was unable to recover the airplane, and it subsequently landed hard. The pilot reported that he did not hear the stall warning horn sound. No anomalies were detected in the stall warning system after the accident.
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
- Loss of control in flight 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 Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 798.5 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 69.9 in the last 90 days; 18.6 in the last 30 days; 670.2 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 31, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,945 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,270 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northshore Group LLC
The flight
- Departed from: L31 Covington LA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: L31 Covington LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KASD, 11 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.
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.