Cessna 172H accident near Belle Chasse, Louisiana, May 1, 2024
On May 1, 2024 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 172H, registered N2782L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Belle Chasse, Louisiana (Southern Seaplane Airport). It was an instructional 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 inadequate landing flare by the flight instructor that resulted in a loss of directional control and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2024 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Chasse, Louisiana · Southern Seaplane Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H, built 1967 · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2782L · registry record · serial 17255982
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and a student pilot were returning to the seaplane base after completing the student pilot’s instructional stage check for a commercial single-engine sea rating. During the final approach for landing, the flight instructor noticed the seaplane’s glide path flown by the student pilot was high and would require most of the waterway to land. The flight instructor took control of the seaplane to correct for the high glide path. After the flight instructor corrected the seaplane’s glide path, the seaplane touched down on the waterway, and the flight instructor applied left rudder control to keep the seaplane centered on the waterway. The seaplane continued to the right and struck a sand bank where it nosed over. The seaplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The flight instructor reported no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the seaplane that would have precluded normal operations. The flight instructor felt that the touch down attitude was flat resulting in an inadvertent water loop.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,726 hours in all; 583 in this make and model; 128 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 1,653 as pilot in command; 640 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 9, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,412.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-300-CCD (piston); 57 hours total
- Operator: Southern Seaplane, Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from NBG, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 13, 2024. 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, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 1 page · our copy | 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.