Cessna 140 accident near Reeves, Louisiana, July 4, 2019
On July 4, 2019 at about 4:45 pm local time, a 1948 Cessna 140, registered N3725V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Reeves, Louisiana. It was a personal 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 secure the oil filler cap, which resulted in oil starvation and a precautionary off-airport landing, during which the airplane was substantially damaged.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2019 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Reeves, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 Undesignat, built 1948 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N3725V · registry record · serial 15002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he landed to refuel and take a break, during which time he also added engine oil. About 15 minutes after departing, he noticed that the engine oil pressure reading had dropped to about 0 pounds per square inch (psi) from 30 psi about 1 minute earlier. Due to the wooded terrain over which the airplane was flying, the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to a nearby clearing. During the landing, the right wing strut impacted a fence post and the airplane bounced and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage. While examining the airplane after the accident, the pilot found that the oil filler cap/dipstick was loose. Based on the information provided by the pilot, the accident was the result of his failure to ensure that the oil filler cap was properly secured, which resulted in loss of the oil supply and necessitated the precautionary off-airport landing.
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 engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 445 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,451 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 3,645 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5R8 De Quincy LA at 4:20 pm
- Destination: OPL Opelousas LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:40 pm, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 15, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.