Piper PA-22 accident near Reserve, Louisiana, October 15, 2004
On October 15, 2004 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N88390, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reserve, Louisiana (St. John The Baptist Parish Ai airport). It was a personal 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 compensate for the existing wind conditions. A contributing factor was the strong crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2004 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Reserve, Louisiana · St. John The Baptist Parish Ai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N88390 · registry record · serial 22-6009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing on runway 17 (a 4,000-foot by 75-foot runway), the pilot started to turn left off the runway, but changed his mind. He swerved back towards the centerline to continue down the runway when the right wing and right landing gear started lifting up. He attempted to lower the wing and gear with aileron, but before he could get the airplane under control, the left gear collapsed. The left wing hit the runway, and the airplane initially continued down the runway, but then made a slow turn to the right, stopping with the propeller just over the right edge of the runway. The airplane was traveling on the ground at a speed of approximately 15 to 20 miles per hour when the wing lifted, and that a 15 to 20 knot crosswind prevailed from the right side of the runway.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 964 hours in all; 134 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L49 Galliano LA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 1L0 Reserve LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from 1L0, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.