Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C accident near Shreveport, Louisiana, March 7, 2005
On March 7, 2005 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C, registered N8098T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shreveport, Louisiana (Shreveport Downtown Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of airspeed and his failure to abort the landing resulting in an overrun. A contributing factor was the wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2005 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Shreveport, Louisiana · Shreveport Downtown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C
- Registration
- N8098T · no longer on the register · serial 430219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 7,200-hour pilot reported that during landing roll, the airplane overran the departure of the 5,017-foot long runway. The airplane rolled down a shallow hill, and came to rest on a road. The nose gear was collapsed. The pilot stated that during the non-precision instrument approach at an airspeed of 140 knots, the airplane descended below the minimum descent altitude. After reestablishing the correct altitude, the pilot established visual contact with the runway environment and "performed a normal landing in the normal touchdown area." During the landing roll, on the wet runway, the pilot noted braking action was poor. Despite using the hand brake and emergency hand brake system, braking action remained poor. The pilot reported the accident could have been prevented by "more conservative estimation of runway stopping distance on (a) wet runway, and better airspeed control on short final after viewing the runway environment."
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command; 4,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 17, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,320 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 1, 2004; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,340 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ai AT-25-TL (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HUM Houma LA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: DTN Shreveport LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 5,018 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from DTN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.