Amateur-built Lazer Z accident near Bossier City, Louisiana, April 22, 2001
On April 22, 2001 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Lazer Z, registered N363WB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bossier City, Louisiana (Barksdale Afb airport). It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control during the low level maneuver. A contribiting factor was the windshear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2001 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bossier City, Louisiana · Barksdale Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lazer Z
- Registration
- N363WB · no longer on the register · serial 47
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The homebuilt experimental airplane impacted terrain while performing a low pass during an air show demonstration flight. The pilot was flying wings level at 200 mph, approximately 10 feet AGL, down the "show" line on a heading of 150 degrees. Level flight was established for about 4 to 5 seconds when the aircraft was "suddenly and violently forced straight down until ground impact occured." After a "hard" bounce, the pilot immediately applied "up elevator" and "continued flying the aircraft." The pilot then shut the engine down and glided to a landing on an adjacent runway. The pilot did not experience any "mechanical problems with the aircraft" and it "remained flyable and controllable following the ground impact." The pilot stated that he believed that the accident was "attributable to a severe wind shear and downdraft coming from a large hangar" located about 300 feet to the southwest of where the aicraft impacted the ground. The pilot reported the winds to be from 190 to 210 degrees at 25 knots, gusting to 35 knots.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,038 hours in all; 470 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 868 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 655 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 2000; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BAD Bossier City LA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: BAD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 11,700 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 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.