Cessna 172L accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, December 28, 1999
On December 28, 1999, a Cessna 172L, registered N172GT, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana (Lakefront 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 inadvertent starting of the engine. Factors were the pilot's failure to set the mixture control to the off position, and the intermittent short in the starter switch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1999
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · Lakefront Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N172GT · registry record · serial 17259831
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the pilot attempted to start the airplane's engine, the starter's bendix drive gear did not engage the starter ring gear. The pilot stated that he turned off the ignition, took out the key and put it in his pocket, pulled the throttle to the idle position, set the parking brake and got out of the airplane. He chocked the airplane and then slowly rotated the propeller until he felt one piston 'move to top center.' He then got back in the airplane and attempted another start; however, the starter's bendix drive gear still did not engage the starter ring gear. Once again he turned off the ignition, took out the key and put it in his pocket, pulled the throttle to the idle position, and got out of the airplane. As he manually rotated the propeller, the engine started. The airplane jumped the chocks, began traveling forward unoccupied and impacted a sea wall and hangar. The pilot stated that he thought that the mixture was off. During an examination of the starter system, an intermittent short was found in the starter switch, which allowed the magnetos to remain ungrounded or 'hot' with the switch in the 'off' position.
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: 450 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,139 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 6, 1999; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M83 West Point MS at 9:30 pm
- Destination: NEW
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.