Cessna A185E accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, April 1, 1982
On April 1, 1982 at about 8:24 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N100TK, was destroyed in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 1982 · about 8:24 pm local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N100TK · no longer on the register · serial 18502079
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 10. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER. AFTER TAKING OFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A SHARP LEFT TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT WHILE STILL AT A LOW ALTITUDE. SOME WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED WHILE THE PLANE WAS TURNING. OTHERS REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. THE IMPACT OCCURRED ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 310 DEG IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED, BUT AN EXAMINATION OF THE INTERIOR PARTS DID NOT REVEAL ANY CONDITION THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO AN ENGINE FAILURE.
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 sea
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,097 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Growden Brothers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 9,227 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N100TK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.