The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB CEN21LA268 · Final report

Cessna 172S accident near Saint James, Louisiana, June 10, 2021

On June 10, 2021 at about 3:08 pm local time, a 2001 Cessna 172S, registered N365CP, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Saint James, Louisiana. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The in-flight fatigue failure of an air-conditioning system hose which resulted in a precautionary landing and impact with a road sign.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
June 10, 2021 · about 3:08 pm local time · cases in 2021
Place
Saint James, Louisiana · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Cessna 172S, built 2001 · all 172Ss on the register
Registration
N365CP · registry record · serial 172S8838
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The pilot of the low-level pipeline patrol flight reported that after about one hour into the flight, a “very loud pop” noise emitted from behind the instrument panel followed by an unidentified high-pressure air/gas release into the cabin. After not seeing any flames, the pilot opened his window to vent the cabin and decided to conduct an off-airport emergency landing on an empty multi-lane highway. During the landing rollout, the left wing impacted a metal road sign, and the airplane came to a stop on a grass median. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a high-pressure air conditioning hose failed and separated at a metal crimp connection at the firewall pass-through. The hose ends at the separation showed signs of age deterioration. Maintenance records revealed that the hose had been in service for about 20 years, accumulating 12,512.5 total hours. According to the air conditioning system maintenance manual, the system’s components are to be inspected every 600 hours or every annual inspection, whichever comes first, and are to be cleaned or replaced as necessary.

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

  1. Pressure/environ sys malf/fail during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
  2. Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
  3. Collision during takeoff/land during landing

The NTSB's findings

Pilot

  • Certificate: commercial pilot
  • Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 7,433 hours in all; 791 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 6,830 as pilot in command
  • Last flight review: October 25, 2020
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: left
  • Injury: no injuries

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 12,520.3 hours
  • Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 7, 2021; 7.3 hours since
  • Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
  • Seats: 4
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Lycoming Engines IO-360-L2A (piston); 5,092 hours total
  • Operator: Barr Air Patrol LLC

The flight

  • Departed from: REG Gonzales LA at 2:08 pm
  • Destination: CWF Lake Charles LA

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: scat at 2,100 ft
  • Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
  • Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
  • Observation at 9:55 am from KREG, 8 miles away

Weather report (METAR): KREG 101455Z AUTO 22005KT 10SM SCT021 SCT028 29/24 A3004 RMK AO2 T02930236

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew2

Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them

Photo 1 – Rear view of the airplane next to the road along with the road sign that was impacted by the left wing, from the NTSB investigation of Cessna 172S accident near Saint James, Louisiana, June 10, 2021Photo 1 – Rear view of the airplane next to the road along with the road sign that was impacted by the left wingPhoto 2 – View of the substantial damage sustained to the left wing, from the NTSB investigation of Cessna 172S accident near Saint James, Louisiana, June 10, 2021Photo 2 – View of the substantial damage sustained to the left wingPhoto 3 – View of the substantial damage sustained to the left wing and of the road used during the emergency landing, from the NTSB investigation of Cessna 172S accident near Saint James, Louisiana, June 10, 2021Photo 3 – View of the substantial damage sustained to the left wing and of the road used during the emergency landingPhoto 4 – View of the substantial damage sustained to the left wing, from the NTSB investigation of Cessna 172S accident near Saint James, Louisiana, June 10, 2021Photo 4 – View of the substantial damage sustained to the left wingPhoto 5 – View of the rubber air conditioning hose that failed at the metal crimp connection, from the NTSB investigation of Cessna 172S accident near Saint James, Louisiana, June 10, 2021Photo 5 – View of the rubber air conditioning hose that failed at the metal crimp connectionPhoto 6 – Close up view of the rubber air conditioning hose that failed at the metal crimp connection, from the NTSB investigation of Cessna 172S accident near Saint James, Louisiana, June 10, 2021Photo 6 – Close up view of the rubber air conditioning hose that failed at the metal crimp connection

The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 15, 2021. 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.

#DocumentWhat it is
1 Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 PDF, 9 pages View Download
2 Accident Photographs PDF, 6 pages · our copy View Download
3 Additional Documents PDF, 14 pages View Download

The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.

Other NTSB records under N365CP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time

2020-05-21CEN20CA195 · accident near Houma, LA · substantial damage · no injuries

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
Place
Record
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN21LA268.json.

The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.

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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.