Amateur-built F4UCorsair accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, April 5, 2001
On April 5, 2001 at about 8:16 pm local time, a amateur-built F4UCorsair, registered N914DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Baton Rouge Metropolitan 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 inadequate preflight planning resulting in fuel exhaustion during approach. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2001 · about 8:16 pm local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Baton Rouge Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built F4UCorsair
- Registration
- N914DA · registry record · serial 208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Based upon the pilot's preflight planning, the homebuilt experimental airplane should have reached the destination airport with 1/2 hour of fuel reserve. The pilot was instructed to fly the airplane on a 3-mile base for runway 22R, and subsequently cleared to land the airplane on runway 22R. Before the base to final turn, the pilot reported to the tower controller that the engine "stopped." Subsequently, the pilot performed the emergency procedures and informed the tower controller that the flight would not make the runway. During the forced landing in a field, the airplane came to rest against a fence and fence post. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, reported "fuel exhaustion." The pilot stated "this accident could have been prevented if I had used the wind information available at the time of departure and allowed for poor navigation, [and] more fuel burned than anticipated."
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,219 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 474 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 26, 2000
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 43 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 2, 2001; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,247 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-250-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXO Conroe TX at 7:10 pm
- Destination: BTR Baton Rouge LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22R, 6,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from BTR, 3 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.